Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star in and executive produce Melrose, a new Sky Atlantic mini-series based on the classic Edward St Aubyn novels.

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Cumberbatch will play the titular character, Patrick Melrose, “an aristocratic and outrageously funny playboy” who turns to substance abuse to erase bad childhood memories of his abusive father and a mother who tacitly condoned the behaviour. Asked in 2013 if he could play any literary character ever, Cumberbatch shared in a Reddit Q&A that it would be Patrick Melrose.

St Aubyn’s Melrose novels – including the Man Booker Prize-winning Mother's Milk – are an acclaimed semi-autobiographical series.

Each episode of the five-part series will be based on a different book and will take place over a few intense days in Melrose’s life, from the South of France in the 60s via 80s New York to early-2000s Britain.

One Day author David Nicholls (who also penned the script for the 2015 film version of Far From the Madding Crowd) will write all five episodes.

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Cumberbatch and Adam Ackland, who will produce under their company SunnyMarch, said: "We are delighted to be part of this incredible series. We have been huge fans of these books for many years and David Nicholls’ adaptations are extraordinary."

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No premiere date has been set, but shooting is expected to start this August.

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