The first series, based on John le Carré’s novel of the same name, stars Tom Hiddleston (Loki) as Jonathan Pine, a former military man and the night manager of a luxury Egyptian hotel. When Pine gets involved with one of his guests, he ends up assisting task force leader Angela Burr (Olivia Colman, The Crown) in taking down a terrifying and ruthless arms dealer, Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie, Blackadder).
This begins with a true story. I have withheld the real names, as I still want to do a little business, and certainly have lunch now and again, in LA. Some years ago, I went to see some senior executives at one of the major US talent agencies. We chatted amiably for the first 10 minutes, as you do. The normal stuff. “How long are you in town?” “I love London… you must know my friend Jack. He lives in Liverpool. That’s kinda near, isn’t it?” “The guy who runs NBC is going to be toast by Christmas.”
"You have to remember what a partisan of the novel I am… and that it had long been one of my ambitions to have my novels defeat all attempts to put them on screen"
-Interview with Jonathan Franzen, New York Times, 26 June 2018
The series is a collaboration between BBC One, AMC and The Ink Factory, who previously worked together on 2016's award-winning spy drama, The Night Manager.
Set amidst rising tensions in the Middle East during the 1970s, the show will star Florence Pugh as a young brilliant actress named Charlie, who is preparing for her ultimate role.
Few recent TV dramas have brightened up our screens as much as The Night Manager. One critic described the six-part adaptation of John le Carré’s 1993 novel as “the BBC’s glossiest, smartest, most indecently entertaining Sunday-night drama in ages”. Who could possibly disagree?
At Abbey Road Studios, Audio Network is recording Fifties-style rock ’n’ roll songs to add to the 120,000-plus tracks in its library. From sweeping orchestral works and Portuguese fado to hip hop and ukulele music, there is something for even the fussiest TV or film producer.
The Night Manager was the first television adaptation of one of John Le Carré's novels in 20 years.
The result was a roaring success. It has been one of the most talked about series of the year, was nominated for 12 Primetime Emmys and close to 10m viewers watched the finale on the BBC.
When the latest project from multiple Oscar nominees Peter Morgan (The Queen) and Stephen Daldry (The Reader) reaches audiences in November, it won’t be in cinemas.
Morgan has created and written The Crown, an extended biopic on the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Daldry is the executive producer and has directed an episode of the show. The series begins with Elizabeth’s marriage in 1947 and aims to recount the story of her life until the present day.
Nominated for 12 Primetime Emmys, it has been one of the most talked about series of the year and close to 10m viewers watched the finale on the BBC. Press reaction was overwhelmingly positive in both broadsheets and tabloids, and viewers were glued to their seats on Sunday nights.
This session, richly illustrated with clips, will tell the inside story of how the book was transformed into the series that had the nation talking.
The novel was Le Carre’s breakout novel and tells the story of Alec Leamas, a veteran British spy who is ordered to bring down one of East Germany’s most high ranking intelligence officers.
The rumours come a week after The Night Manager, which aired on BBC One earlier this year, scooped 12 Emmy Awards nominations.
