MASTERPIECE, ITV and Mammoth Screen team up for Tom Jones
Solly McLeod, Sophie Wilde to star in Gwyneth Hughes adaptation
MASTERPIECE, ITV and Mammoth Screen (Victoria, Poldark) are partnering on a four-part television miniseries to reimagine The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling based on Henry Fielding’s classic novel. A picaresque story of the title character’s complicated journey to find real love, Tom Jones has delighted and scandalized readers since it was originally published in 1749.
Solly McLeod (The Rising) stars as the hero Tom, alongside Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me) as the heroine Sophia Western.
Written by Gwyneth Hughes (Vanity Fair, Miss Austen Regrets), Tom Jones is directed by Georgia Parris (Mari) and produced by Benjamin Greenacre.
The executive producers are James Gandhi, Gwyneth Hughes, Damien Timmer and Helen Ziegler for Mammoth Screen, Susanne Simpson and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE, and Polly Hill for ITV.
Commented writer and executive producer Gwyneth Hughes: “Tom Jones is the mother of all romcoms and isn’t that just what we all need after the last couple of years of misery? It’s a story where the sun barely stops shining, where love conquers all, and at its warm heart stand a pair of young sweethearts everyone can root for. Henry Fielding’s 18th century novel is sexy and fun; it’s also a dramatic rollercoaster, addressing so many modern concerns around consent, sexual equality and the pursuit of happiness. Tom and Sophia over- come enormous obstacles before finding their way home and to each other.
This is a classic adaptation with a wise soul and a great big smile on its face.”
Commented Mammoth Screen Executive Producer James Gandhi: “With Gwyneth Hughes’s masterful scripts, Georgia Parris at the directing helm and rising stars Solly McLeod and Sophie Wilde leading the cast – we couldn’t be more excited to bring this joyous 18th-century story of identity and romance to the screen.”
Commented MASTERPIECE Executive Producer Susanne Simpson: “Tom Jones is one of the most joyful, big-hearted romances ever written. We’re delighted to add it to the long list of MASTERPIECE classic adaptations.
Mammoth Screen is the ideal producer to bring together a brilliant writer, exceptional director and outstanding cast for this ambitious project.” MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston.
Commented director Georgia Parris: “This production of Tom Jones is an escapist romp into the sights, sounds and textures of 18th century England.
It is an intimate story that shows how love and desire drive and confound us all, both women and men. I can’t wait to get started on telling this classic story, one of the first ever English novels, and making it resonate with a modern audience.”
With funding from Northern Ireland Screen, Tom Jones will film entirely on location in and around Belfast this autumn.
Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside Mammoth Screen, Masterpiece and ITV on the latest drama to film in Northern Ireland. We are sure audiences around the world will enjoy this exciting adaptation of Henry Fielding’s classic novel.”
Tom Jones is a co-production of Mammoth Screen and MASTERPIECE.
About MASTERPIECE
Winner of 83 Primetime Emmys® and 18 Peabody Awards, MASTERPIECE has been essential Sunday night viewing for millions of fans since 1971. Susanne Simpson is the executive producer and Rebecca Eaton is the executive producer-at-large for the series. Funding for MASTERPIECE is provided by Viking and Raymond James with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust. Produced for PBS by GBH Boston, MASTERPIECE is known for hits such as All Creatures Great and Small, Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Victoria, and beloved classics such as Upstairs Downstairs, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga and Poldark.
About Mammoth Screen
Mammoth Screen is part of ITV Studios. Current shows include THE SERPENT, NOUGHTS AND CROSSES SERIES 2, WORLD ON FIRE SERIES 2 and GRIME KIDS for the BBC, ENDEAVOUR SERIES 8, McDONALD AND DODDS SERIES 3 and THE TOWER for ITV and WHY DIDN’T THEY
ASK EVANS? for BritBox.
About Northern Ireland Screen
Northern Ireland Screen is the government-backed lead agency in Northern Ireland for the film, television and interactive content industries, driving global growth through boosting our economy, celebrating our culture and enhancing our children’s education. In our strategy, Opening Doors, we have a clear vision to transform the screen industries in Northern Ireland, ensuring that we have the strongest screen industry outside of London in the UK and Ireland, supported by vibrant and diverse cultural voices that are recognized and celebrated equally at home and abroad. www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk
BBC One’s Noughts + Crosses to return for a second series
Noughts + Crosses will return for a second series, the BBC has announced.
Produced by Mammoth Screen for the BBC, series two will dive viewers straight back into the dangerous, alternate world of Malorie Blackman’s bestselling novels and the irresistible, forbidden love story at its heart.
Jack Rowan and Masali Baduza will return as Callum and Sephy, now desperately attempting to flee Albion in search of a new life together, while the city they left behind ignites in the wake of Sephy’s ‘kidnap’ and the devastating events of series one. Paterson Joseph, Helen Baxendale, Bonnie Mbuli, Jonathan Ajayi, Josh Dylan and Kiké Brimah will all reprise their roles from the first series.
Joining Noughts + Crosses for series two will be Jasmine Jobson (Top Boy, Surge) as Cara, an enigmatic new figure in Jude’s life, and Robert Hands (Endeavour, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell) as Clem. Further casting and characters for series two will be announced in due course.
Malorie Blackman, author of the Noughts & Crosses novels, says: “I am delighted that Noughts + Crosses is returning for a second series. So many people have asked me, ’So what happens next?’. Now they will find out! Having read the scripts, I think I can safely say that even those familiar with the Noughts & Crosses series of books will find surprises, suspense and so much to savour.”
Masali Baduza, who plays Sephy, says: “The journey continues! I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to Sephy’s story with our talented cast and crew.”
Jack Rowan, who plays Callum, says: “I’m buzzing to be returning as Callum in the next series of Noughts + Crosses. The show means a lot to me and it’s an honour to have brought Malorie Blackman’s creation to life on screen. Here’s to the continuation of a story we hold very close to our hearts. Looking forward to getting the team back together!”
Preethi Mavahalli and James Gandhi, Executive Producers for Mammoth Screen, say: “We are delighted to be able to reunite our passionate and loyal cast and crew, led by writer Lydia Adetunji and director Koby Adom, for a second series. It is a privilege to revisit Malorie’s much-loved characters and bring Callum and Sephy’s iconic love story to its epic conclusion.”
Ben Irving, Executive Producer for BBC Drama, says: “It was a joy and an honour to see this exceptional team bring Malorie Blackman’s iconic, thought-provoking and exhilarating world to life on screen. We’re thrilled they are reuniting for the return of Noughts + Crosses to BBC One and iPlayer.”
Noughts + Crosses series two (4×60′) will be written by Lydia Adetunji and Jerome Bucchan-Nelson, directed by Koby Adom and produced by Sarah Lewis. Executive Producers are Preethi Mavahalli, Damien Timmer and James Gandhi for Mammoth Screen in association with ITV Studios, Ben Irving for BBC One, Malorie Blackman, Lydia Adetunji and Kibwe Tavares. The series will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios.
Filming will begin next month in South Africa, and the series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Noughts + Crosses series one is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
Praise for Noughts + Crosses series one
“Even better than you expected… To say this interpretation of Blackman’s book is thought-provoking would be a wild understatement. It’s moving, challenging, heartbreaking and more relevant than many may care to acknowledge.” – Refinery29
“This ambitious, provocative race drama is a must-see.” – Daily Telegraph
“Vital viewing” – The Guardian
“Definitely worth the wait” – The Sun
“An enlightening, evocative experience.” – Culture Whisper
“BBC’s adaptation does Malorie Blackman’s seminal novel justice.” – The i
“Richly imagined and jaw-dropping drama” – The Times
“Viewers won’t be disappointed. Directors Koby Adom and Julian Holmes weave a clever and absorbing narrative that tackles socio-political issues such as love, personal responsibility and identity in a multicultural community.” – NME
Shaun Evans and Roger Allam return for eighth series of Endeavour
Filming has begun on the eighth series of critically-acclaimed detective drama, Endeavour, with lead actor Shaun Evans directing the first of the three new films.
Shaun Evans reprises his role as DS Endeavour Morse, alongside Roger Allam as DCI Fred Thursday for a new set of compelling cases written and created by Russell Lewis.
Filmed on location in Oxford the strong ensemble cast reunited with Shaun and Roger includes Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones) who returns as CS Reginald Bright, Sean Rigby (Gunpowder) as DS Jim Strange, James Bradshaw (Close to The Enemy) as Dr Max DeBryn, Abigail Thaw (I Want My Wife Back) as Dorothea Frazil, Caroline O’Neill (Last Tango In Halifax) as Win Thursday and Sara Vickers (Watchmen) as Joan Thursday.
Opening the series in 1971, a death threat to Oxford Wanderers’ star striker Jack Swift places Endeavour (Shaun Evans) and his team at the heart of the glitz and glamour of 1970s football, exposing the true cost of success and celebrity, and with it, a deep-rooted division that is soon reflected much closer to home.
Series seven of Endeavour averaged 6.1m viewers across all devices across its three episodes. This rose to 6.8m when we include viewing up to 28 days. The series has had 2.3 million programme streams on ITV Hub since it launched back in Feb 2020.
Commented series creator, writer and executive producer Russell Lewis:
““After our longest suspension, all at #TeamEndeavour are delighted to have been returned to duty. If anything, the delay has made us all determined to make Series 8 everything it can be. Happily, it looks as if our timeline has endured the hiatus and that we will still be delivering our vision of 1971, albeit through an Endeavour glass darkly, exactly half a century on. Social distancing and strict insurance regulation with its bubbles and cohorts mean that backroom boys like me and the other execs haven’t been able to get out to set as usual, but all the same we’re very fortunate to be back in business at all and count our blessings daily. It’s truly lovely to be back telling new stories with Oxford’s Finest. I hope the audience finds they’ve been worth the wait.”
Produced by leading drama indie Mammoth Screen – part of ITV Studios – in partnership with Masterpiece, series eight will be produced by James Levison. Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Mammoth Screen Damien Timmer is the executive producer alongside Russell Lewis, Shaun Evans, Roger Allam, Mammoth Screen’s Director of Television Helen Ziegler and Rebecca Eaton and Susanne Simpson at Masterpiece.
Award-winner Ian Aryeh (McDonald & Dodds, In The Long Run) and Kate Saxon (Silent Witness, Call The Midwife) join the production to direct series eight.
Mammoth Screen is one of the UK’s leading production companies. Recent and forthcoming shows include THE SERPENT, NOUGHTS + CROSSES, WORLD ON FIRE and GRIME KIDS for the BBC, WHY DIDN’T THEY ASK EVANS for Britbox USA and McDONALD & DODDS and THE TOWER for ITV. Mammoth Screen is an ITV Studios Company.
ITV Drama Commissioner, Huw Kennair-Jones has recommissioned Endeavour and will oversee the production of the new series on behalf of the channel. Endeavour is set to return to ITV later this year and will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios.
Gemma Whelan takes the lead role in ITV crime thriller, The Tower
Gemma Whelan will star in the lead role of Detective Sergeant Sarah Collins in ITV’s three-part series The Tower, adapted by Homeland writer and executive producer Patrick Harbinson.
The Tower is based on Post Mortem, the first in Kate London’s Metropolitan series of novels featuring Sarah Collins and rookie cop Lizzie Griffiths.
Harbinson (Fearless, 24, ER) will executive produce alongside Mammoth Screen’s founder and CEO Damien Timmer (The Serpent, Endeavour) and Karen Thrussell (Poldark, And Then There Were None).
Gemma is most recognised for her role in Game of Thrones and her portrayal of Karen Matthews in The Moorside. Her other recent credits include White House Farm for ITV, Emma, and Killing Eve. Gemma is currently shooting Gentleman Jack.
The Tower has been commissioned for ITV by Head of Drama Polly Hill, who will oversee the three-part drama for the channel and is produced by Windhover Films and Mammoth Screen in association with ITV Studios.
Kate London is a former Met Police Officer who finished her career working as part of a Major Investigation Team on the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.
Paul Testar (The Serpent) is producer, Sherie Myers (I May Destroy You) is co-producer, and Jim Loach (Save Me Too) is director.
In The Tower’s breath-taking opening sequence, a veteran beat cop and a teenage girl fall to their deaths from a tower block in south-east London. Left alive on the roof are a five-year-old boy and rookie police officer Lizzie Griffiths. Within hours, Lizzie has disappeared, and Detective Sergeant Sarah Collins is charged with leading the investigation. She not only has to track down Lizzie before she comes to serious harm, but also to uncover the truth behind the grisly deaths. What chain of events took two police officers and two children to the roof of that tower block – why did two of them die? Why did two of them survive?
The antagonistic relationship between the experienced Sergeant Sarah Collins and the novice cop Lizzie Griffiths is at the heart of London’s novels and The Tower. What happened on the roof of the tower is the mystery that Sarah must uncover. When it’s finally revealed, the truth will cast its shadow over Sarah and Lizzie’s relationship and their lives.
Filming will commence later this month and further casting details will be announced in due course.
Windhover Films was formed by Patrick Harbinson in January 2021. Its principals have worked in the film and TV business in London and LA for nearly thirty years. Mammoth Screen, one of the UK’s leading independent production companies, is an ITV Studios label.
The book deal to sell Kate London’s novels for TV was brokered by Luke Speed on behalf of Alice Lutyens of Curtis Brown Group.
Gemma is represented by Alexander Cooke at Hamilton Hodell and Clifford Murray at Management 360.
The Tower is distributed internationally by ITV Studios.
Hugh Laurie To Adapt Agatha Christie’s ‘Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?’ Into BritBox’s Biggest Original To Date
EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a biggie: House and The Night Manager star Hugh Laurie has signed up to write, direct, and executive produce an adaptation of Agatha Christie novel Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? for BritBox in North America.
The three-part limited series represents the BBC Studios and ITV-owned streamer’s biggest U.S. commission to date, and the project will be housed at Mammoth Screen, the Christie specialist behind recent adaptations of And Then There Were None and The ABC Murders, starring John Malkovich.
Laurie has been enamored with Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? since he was a child and the book, first published in 1934, tells the story Bobby Jones and his socialite friend Lady Frances Derwent, who discover the body of a dying man while hunting for a golf ball.
Jones and Derwent turn amateur sleuths as they seek to unravel the mystery of the man, who has the picture of a beautiful young woman in his pocket, and, with his last breath, utters the cryptic question that forms the series’ title. The amiable duo approach their investigation with a levity that belies the danger they encounter.
No word yet on whether Laurie will take a starring role in the show, though Deadline understands that it is hoped he can feature in some form. For now though, the Avenue 5 and Roadkill actor is focused on adapting the novel, in what represents his first major TV drama series in the writer and director’s chair.
“The hairs on the back of my neck haven’t properly settled down from the first time I grasped the beauty of the essential mystery. Since then, I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with the characters, and feel immensely honoured to have been given the chance to retell their story in this form,” he said. “I will wear a tie on set, and give it everything I have.”
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? premieres in 2022 after Endeavor Content brokered the commission. Endeavor Content will distribute the series outside of the UK, Ireland, and the Americas. BritBox is making itself the home of Christie content after inking a deal with her estate last year to host the most “comprehensive” collection of adaptations in North America.
Mammoth has real pedigree when it comes to Christie and has, in recent years, worked with writer Sarah Phelps to reimagine the great author’s work for the BBC and Amazon, with the most recent effort being last year’s The Pale Horse.
The BritBox original is not the first time Mammoth has tackled Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? after the company adapted the story into a feature-length Marple episode for ITV in 2011. The drama starred Rafe Spall, Richard Briers, and Samantha Bond.
Commenting on the Laurie project, Mammoth’s director of television and executive producer Helen Ziegler said: “His dazzling scripts take the mischief and cleverness of the original novel to a new level, and with Hugh sitting in the director’s chair, this really is going to be an authored treat for Christie fans everywhere.”
Emily Powers, head of BritBox North America, said: “Hugh Laurie’s writing pays homage to the brilliance of the original Agatha Christie mystery while adding fresh wit, humor, and creativity that will appeal to all audiences.”
BritBox’s other North American originals include The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco and co-productions such as Luke Evans’ true-crime series The Pembrokeshire Murders.
ITV commissions a third series of detective drama McDonald & Dodds, starring Jason Watkins and Tala Gouveia
ITV has commissioned a third series of popular, contemporary detective drama McDonald & Dodds, produced by leading independent production company, Mammoth Screen.
Starring Tala Gouveia (Cold Feet) as DCI McDonald and BAFTA award winning actor Jason Watkins (Des, The Crown) as DS Dodds, the third series will comprise of three new murder mysteries for the pair to solve. The first two films of series two achieved consolidated ratings of 6.7m.
Jason Watkins commented about the new run: “I’m delighted to be returning to Bath for the third series of McDonald & Dodds. Tala and I are so thrilled to be in a partnership which the audience seem to have affection for. It’s gratifying that we’ve been able to bring a little sunshine in these difficult times. I look forward to filming in the beautiful city of Bath and to Dodds solving more puzzles with Lauren McDonald. I’m bracing myself for more chips in butter!”
Tala Gouveia added: “I can’t wait to start filming again and to see what adventures writer Robert Murphy takes us on next! It’s always a pleasure to work with Jason and our wonderful casts. Bring on series three!”
Damien Timmer (The Serpent, Endeavour), CEO of Mammoth Screen, commented: “We’re delighted to be returning to Bath for more ingenious crime mysteries with DCI McDonald and DS Dodds – working with Tala Gouveia, Jason Watkins and showrunner Robert Murphy is a proper pleasure!”
Creator Robert Murphy (Vera, Shetland, DCI Banks) added: “It’s a real privilege to for me to return to Bath to re-engage with the world of McDonald & Dodds and our other regular characters. I’m delighted to be cooking up more mystery puzzles as well as exploring the deepening and fun relationship between our two leads.”
The first and second series are available to view via streaming platform Britbox. ITV Studios will distribute the drama internationally. Filming will begin on the third series during the summer of 2021.
Mammoth Screen is one of the UK’s leading production companies. Current and forthcoming shows include The Serpent for BBC/Netflix, Noughts + Crosses, World on Fire and Grime Kids for the BBC, and Endeavour and The Tower for ITV. Mammoth Screen is an ITV Studios Company.
Grime Kids BBC Three and BBC iPlayer
Inspired by DJ Target’s book, Grime Kids is an original drama exploring the emergence of grime music from subculture to international phenomenon, written by Bafta-nominated and BIFA-winning writer Theresa Ikoko.
Grime Kids charts the rise of a fictional group of young adults growing up in the late 90s, dreaming of being able to make their voice heard through grime music. Set against a backdrop of real events and cultural moments, Grime Kids reveals how grime, born from within British housing estates, took over the world.
McDonald & Dodds launch watched by 6.4 million viewers
The launch of the new series of ITV’s mismatched detectives, McDonald & Dodds, was viewed by 6.4 million viewers including non-TV devices and a narrative repeat.
The series, starring Jason Watkins as DS Dodds and Tala Gouveia as DCI Lauren McDonald, is amongst ITV’s top rated dramas of the year so far including The Pembrokeshire Murders, Finding Alice, Unforgotten and The Bay.
The Bath based crime drama, written and created by Robert Murphy and produced by Mammoth Screen, will return to ITV later this year.
The Serpent becomes BBC iPlayer’s most watched new title since Normal People
Crime thriller The Serpent has become iPlayer’s most popular new BBC programme since Normal People, with 31 million streams across the series so far. The eight-part drama – starring Tahar Rahim, Jenna Coleman, Billy Howle and Ellie Bamber – launched on New Year’s Day and concluded its BBC One run last night.
The Serpent’s first episode is also BBC iPlayer’s most streamed episode of anything – across all genres – since Normal People last spring, with over 5.5 million streams on iPlayer alone so far.
Including linear viewing, episode one has received a 30-day consolidated figure of 9 million viewers across all-screens (the highest figure for a new BBC title since The Salisbury Poisonings), with episode two consolidating at 7.4 million viewers.
Damien Timmer and Preethi Mavahalli, executive producers for Mammoth Screen say: “It’s been a privilege to tell the story of Herman and the Action Committee’s* dogged pursuit of justice, and to have a chance to reclaim the stories of the young travellers whose lives were so cruelly cut short. We’re absolutely thrilled to see the British public come to the series in such vast numbers.”
Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama says: “These exceptional figures for The Serpent are a testament to the power of telling the lesser-known, human side of a real-life story, and an exceptional creative team. It’s great to see The Serpent become such a hit, driven in no small part by phenomenal word-of-mouth from the British public watching the boxset on BBC iPlayer.”
Inspired by real events, The Serpent tells the remarkable story of how the conman and murderer Charles Sobhraj was brought to justice. More information about the series can be found here.
Commissioned by BBC One, The Serpent (8×60′) is made by Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, and is a co-production between BBC One and Netflix. The series was conceived and developed by Tom Shankland and Richard Warlow, and written by Richard Warlow and Toby Finlay. It was directed by Tom Shankland and Hans Herbots, produced by Stephen Smallwood, and executive produced by Richard Warlow, Tom Shankland, Preethi Mavahalli and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, and Lucy Richer for the BBC.
The Serpent is available exclusively in the UK on BBC iPlayer. It will later be available outside of the UK and Ireland on Netflix.
*the release was amended to reference the wider ‘Action Committee’ team who worked with Herman Knippenberg to bring Charles Sobhraj to justice.