The Stage

Bowker writes Pre-Raphaelite ‘Entourage with easels’ series for BBC2

Published Thursday 7 August 2008 at 16:20 by Rebecca Herbert

BBC2 has commissioned a six-part drama series by Blackpool writer Peter Bowker about a group of English painters, poets and critics.

Desperate Romantics is set in 19th-century industrial London and follows the group called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood as they scheme their way to fame, fortune and success.

BBC drama production and controller of series and serials Kate Harwood described the series, which will be broadcast as six hour-long episodes, as “Entourage with easels” and added it “paints a modern, vivid irreverent portrait of this group of painters.”

Ben Evans, whose credits include Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!, will be joint executive producer of the series, which will be produced by Franny Moyle.

It will be filmed in London in early 2009, with the cast and production team to be announced shortly.

Desperate Romantics was commissioned by BBC controller of fiction Jane Tranter and BBC2 controller Roly Keating.

Other BBC2 dramas to be shown soon are Einstein and Eddington starring David Tennant and Andy Serkis, My Zinc Bed starring Uma Thurman and Jonathan Pryce and A Number starring Tom Wilkinson and Rhys Ifans.