David Walliams For Agatha Christie Drama

BBC One is to bring two of Agatha Christie's adventures to life.
Produced by Endor Productions and Agatha Christie Productions Ltd., Agatha Christie's 'Partners In Crime' stars David Walliams (Little Britain) as Tommy and Jessica Raine (Call The Midwife, Wolf Hall) as Tuppence in the two adventures, The Secret Adversary and N or M?

Directed by Edward Hall (Restless, Downton Abbey), episodes 1-3, The Secret Adversary, are adapted for the screen by author, playwright and director Zinnie Harris. The following three, N or M? are adapted by Claire Wilson (Where There Is Darkness, Twist).

Agatha Christie's Partners In Crime is an adventure series set in a 1950s Britain. Rising from the ashes of the Blitz into the grip of a new Cold War, beekeeping duo Tommy and Tuppence stumble into a world of murder, undercover agents and Cold War conspiracy.

Tuppence sees adventure round every corner, throwing herself head first into every mystery with passion and fervour, and determined to get to the truth no matter what it takes, much to the dismay of her more cautious husband Tommy.

Hilary Bevan Jones, executive producer and founder of Endor Productions, said: "To introduce the iconic Christie characters Tommy and Tuppence and their adventures to a whole new generation, is a fabulous opportunity for all of us at Endor. Our incredible creative team of David Walliams, Zinnie Harris and Claire Wilson have created stories that promise to be exciting, fun and fresh. With the inspirational Edward Hall directing the whole series, and Georgina Lowe producing, we have a clarity and cohesiveness of ambition that promises only the best."

David Walliams said: "In bringing these thrilling stories to the screen, it is our ambition for Tommy and Tuppence to finally take their rightful place alongside Poirot and Marple as iconic Agatha Christie characters. I was first drawn to the delicious notion of a married couple solving crimes together, and the more I read of the Tommy and Tuppence novels and short stories, the more I realised they are among Christie's very best work."

Hilary Strong, Chief Executive Officer of the Agatha Christie Group, said: "We are excited to be working with the BBC and Endor to bring Agatha Christie to a whole new generation of viewers as we continue to build the Christie brand worldwide. Agatha Christie's Partners In Crime is the first of two major new dramas for 2015, the second of which is a new production of And Then There
Were None, one of Christie's most popular novels of all time. I am delighted that our partnership with the BBC will play a central part in our 125th anniversary celebrations this year."

Agatha Christie's Partners In Crime is produced by Georgina Lowe, executive produced by Hilary Bevan Jones, David Walliams, Hilary Strong and Mathew Prichard for Agatha Christie Productions and Matthew Read for the BBC.

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre

(JP)