Minghella and Curtis lead BBC1’s winter drama line-up

Published Tuesday 4 December 2007 at 12:15 by Matthew Hemley

BBC1 has unveiled a slate of new dramas that will form part of its winter schedule, including an adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith’s novel The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

The drama focuses on the character of Precious Ramotswe, the proprietor of the only female-owned detective agency in Botswana and stars singer and actress Jill Scott. It has been co-written by Anthony Minghella and Richard Curtis, with Minghella directing.

Meanwhile, the channel is to launch a major new drama retelling the last week in the life of Jesus Christ, called The Passion. It will be shown over a week in the run up to Easter and has been written by Frank Deasy.

It will star Joseph Mawle as Jesus Christ and James Nesbitt as Pontius Pilate.

Other dramas for the winter 2008 line-up include adaptations of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and Flora Thompson’s Lark Rise To Candleford, starring Dawn French.

Waking the Dead writer Barbara Machin has penned a two-part crime drama called Kiss of Death, featuring Lyndsey Marshal and Danny Dyer, while Sarah Parish will star in new Ecosse Films production Mistresses.

The schedule will also see Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Carlyle appearing in a new thriller called The Last Enemy and Martin Shaw playing a Jesuit priest in the supernatural-themed Apparitions.

BBC1 acting controller Roly Keating said: “The winter schedule on BBC One reflects a confident and innovative channel, with some big names and bold commissions.”

In entertainment, BBC1 has lined up talent search show The One and Only, a series hosted by Graham Norton that sees tribute acts battle it out for a chance to win a performing contract in Las Vegas.