New Les Misérables Adaptation Confirmed

A new adaptation of Les Misérables has been announced for BBC One. The six-part series will be adapted by screenwriter Andrew Davies.

Victor Hugo's Les Misérables is a 19th Century classic and often said to be one of he greatest books ever written. The drama is a co-production between BBC Studios and Lookout Point for BBC One in association with Weinstein Television. BBC Worldwide will distribute the series, with Weinstein Television distributing in U.S. and China.

Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, said: "Andrew Davies' extraordinary skill for adaptation will bring the world-famous Les Misérables into powerful focus for a modern audience, with a multi-layered re-telling of Victor Hugo's masterpiece. BBC One viewers can expect the same quality and scale from the team behind War and Peace in this epic tale of redemption and the healing power of love."

Andrew Davies added: "Les Misérables is a huge, iconic title. Most of us are familiar with the musical version, which only offers a fragmentary outline of its story. I am thrilled to have the opportunity of doing real justice to Victor Hugo at last by adapting his masterpiece in a six-hour version for the BBC, with the same team who made War and Peace."

Nick Betts, BBC Studios, commented: "BBC Studios is delighted that our first drama commission with our partners Lookout Point and Weinstein Television will reunite Andrew Davies and the brilliant production team behind War and Peace to produce a definitive version of Les Misérables for the BBC."

Faith Penhale, Lookout Point, said: "It's a privilege to be working with Andrew, Harvey and the BBC again to bring Hugo's searingly relevant masterpiece, and his biggest achievement, faithfully to life for a modern audience."

Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein Television, also said: "Victor Hugo's Les Misérables is one of the greatest novels of all time – and while the musical is one of my favourites this will be completely different. An intense and serious drama that will find contemporary relevance to what's going on in the world today. I'm thrilled to be reunited with Faith Penhale and Simon Vaughan, my partners from War and Peace, with Charlotte Moore from the BBC, and of course, with Andrew Davies who wrote War and Peace. I think the BBC and Weinstein Television collaboration are a new paradigm in the telling of classics – they're modern and yet respectful. And, with the exception of James Bond, nobody does it better than Andrew Davies."

Executive Producers will be Andrew Davies, Bethan Jones for BBC Studios, Faith Penhale and Simon Vaughan for Lookout Point and Harvey Weinstein for Weinstein Television. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore and Lucy Richer, Acting Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning.

BBC Worldwide will globally distribute Les Misérables as part of its relationship with Lookout Point and BBC Studios. Weinstein Television will distribute the series in the US and China with an option for Canada.

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre

(JP/MH)