GreenWingandFreeAgentsstarStephenManganistoplaytheleadroleinBBC4'sadaptationofthelateDouglasAdamsDirkGently'sHolisticDetectiveAgency. ManganwillbejoinedbyDarrenBoydashissidekickRichardMacDuffandColdFeetandFriendsactorHelenBaxendale,asMacDuff'sgirlfriendSusan. AdaptedbytheBafta-winningwriterHowardOverman–whoisalsobehindMisfits,VexedandMerlin–DirkGently'sHolisticDetectiveAgencyfollowstheexploitsofAdams'schaoticcharacterasheuseshisunusualmethodstosolvecrimes. Mangansaid:"I'vebeenafanofDouglasAdamseversincetheHitchhiker'sradioserieswhichIusedtorecordasachildandlistentooverandoveragaininmybedroom.It'ssuchathrilltonowbeplayingoneofhisbrilliantcharacters. "Dirkisachaotic,anarchicforceofnaturewithatotallyuniquetakeontheworld.Heisdescribedas'lazy,untidy,dismissiveandunreliable'.I'veabsolutelynoideawhytheythoughtI'dberightfortherole." TheDirkGentlybookshaveformedthebasisofaplayandaBBCRadio4seriesbuthaveneverbeforebeenfilmedforTV. Adams'sagent,EdVictor,said:"ForalltheyearsIrepresentedthelate,greatDouglasAdams,themostsubstantialfrustrationforbothofuswasthatwecouldn'tgetfilmsmadeeitherofHitchhikerorDirk. "Douglasoncesaid,memorably,that'gettingafilmmadeinHollywoodwasliketryingtocookasteakbyhavingabunchofpeoplecomeintotheroomandbreatheonit'.Well,wedideventuallygetafilmmadeinHollywoodofHitchhikerand,tragically,Douglasdidn'tlivetoseeit.NorwillheseethisadaptationofDirk–butit'sworthbearinginmindthatDouglasalwaysthoughtDirkwouldmakeabetterfilmthanHitchhikerandIfeelsurethatthisnewTVdramawithaterrificscriptbyHowardOvermanwillprovehispoint." ShootingbeginsthisweekinBristolonthe60-minutedrama,whichisbeingmadebyITVStudiosinassociationwiththeWeldedTandemPictureCompany. TheDirkGentlyproductionistobedirectedbyDamonThomas–whoalsodirectedBBC4dramaTheFirstMenintheMoon–andwillairearlynextyear.
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