The Stage

Merlin to entertain families for BBC

Published Tuesday 13 September 2005 at 14:15 by Liz Thomas

Merlin is the next programme to be updated for a new generation as part of the BBC’s renaissance of Saturday evening family drama, following the success of Doctor Who.

It is one of a number of productions being developed for the 7pm Saturday slot, including a new version of Robin Hood written by Dominic Minghella and produced by Tiger Aspect.

The Merlin production concentrates on the wizard’s early life and will be set in Arthurian times. Born and Bred creator Chris Chibnall, who also penned hit plays Gaffer and Kiss Me Like You Mean It, is working on scripts for the series with former Granada executives Sue Hogg and Simon Lewis. The Corporation previously broadcast The Legend of King Arthur, an eight-part series written by Andrew Davies, in 1979.

Recently BBC head of drama commissioning Jane Tranter pledged to open up early evening schedules on weekends and bank holidays to family-oriented drama. She told The Stage: “I think that Doctor Who has shown there is a real appetite for part of the week being set aside for family drama. We are definitely going to do more of it.”

Both Merlin and Robin Hood are still in the early stages of development. If commissioned they will not be broadcast until late next year.

Meanwhile new CBBC controller Alison Sharman has made her first Sunday teatime drama commission with an adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s novel, Johnny and the Bomb.

Starring Zoe Wanamaker, Frank Finlay and Keith Barron, the show is produced by the same team that made popular children’s series Stig of the Dump.

• Former EastEnders actress Michelle Collins is to star in new BBC1 drama The Family Man, which looks into fertility treatment and the effects of the process on both the doctors and the couples undergoing it.