Miranda star Sarah Hadland joins Cold Feet's John Thomson in new BBC1 period drama The Moonstone
The pair are among the cast of the new version of Wilkie Collins’ Victorian mystery, which is believed to be English Literature's first ever detective story
Miranda's Sarah Hadland will star alongside Cold Feet actor John Thomson in a new BBC1 version of Wilkie Collins mystery The Moonstone, believed by many to be the first ever detective novel.
Thomson will play the legendary Sergeant Cuff, with Hadland as the pious and unwittingly hilarious Miss Clack in the daytime drama which will air later this year as part of the BBC’s #LoveToRead season.
They will be joined by Joshua Silver (Photograph 51, Wolf Hall/Bring up the Bodies) and Terenia Edwards (Hero’s Welcome, Five Finger Exercise) who make their television debuts in the central roles of lead detective Franklin Blake and Rachel Verinder, the woman Franklin loves.
The five-part series will also feature Sophie Ward as Lady Verinder, Stewart Clarke as Godfrey Ablewhite, Leo Wringer as Betteredge, and David Calder as Mr Bruff, with further casting to be announced.
Described by TS Eliot as “the First and Greatest of English Detective novels”, The Moonstone sees the charismatic adventurer Franklin Blake seek to solve the disappearance of the priceless Moonstone and win back Rachel Verinder, his one true love.
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The drama will be aired over five consecutive days later this year and has been adapted for screen by Rachel Flowerday (Father Brown, EastEnders) and Sasha Hails (Versailles, Casualty).
John Thomson said: "The Moonstone is a classic novel, and this has all the makings of classic TV. I’ve worked on a wonderful variety of projects over the years, but have secretly always wanted to be part of a big BBC1 costume drama. The Moonstone is exactly that and I’m incredibly excited to be in it.”
Sarah Hadland added: “I am SO excited to be playing the fantastically named and appallingly behaved Miss Drusilla Clack. ‘Clack’, as she is sometimes called – to her horror – has to be the most pious of any character I have ever read. She sees herself as a devout Christian and ‘do gooder’, always thinking of others... however she is actually an interfering, manipulative little busybody who has an unholy obsession with Godfrey Ablewhite. Rachel Flowerday and Sasha Hails have written a fabulous script and I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this BBC production – bring on the bonnet!”
