Omid Djalili

The Durrells through the years

The Durrells (credit: ITV)

This is not the first dramatization of Gerald Durrell’s autobiography My Family and Other Animals to appear on television. The naturalist’s tales about his outrageous relatives have graced the small screen twice before, with a number of familiar faces behind the eclectic characters. Here is a look back over the more memorable portrayals of the Durrell clan.

 

Brian Blessed as Spiro (1987)

Watch: Trailer for BBC One's new Dickensian drama

Dickensian, Tony Jordan, Caroline Quentin, Stephen Rea, Pauline Collins

The 20-part series is due to launch over Christmas and is written by former EastEnders writer and Hustle creator Tony Jordan.  

The show features some of Charles Dickens’ most popular characters living and interacting on one street. Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s business partner from A Christmas Carol, has been murdered and Inspector Bucket (Stephen Rea, The Honourable Woman) is sent to investigate.