The BBC has announced a fresh television adaptation of Agatha Christie's iconic detective Hercule Poirot, with rising British star Edward Bluemel taking on the role. The six-part series, titled Hercule, will see Bluemel, 33, become the youngest actor to portray the famously meticulous Belgian investigator on screen.
A new take on a classic character
Bluemel is best known for his performances in the prematurely cancelled fantasy period drama My Lady Jane, as well as Killing Eve and Netflix's own Christie adaptation Seven Dials. He takes over a role immortalised by David Suchet, who played Poirot on ITV for decades until the character was emotionally written out in 2013.
The BBC has described the new show as 'an intimate study of Hercule the man and an epic portrait of Britain between the wars.' The series will focus on three of Christie's most celebrated stories while also exploring Poirot's burgeoning friendship with Captain Arthur Hastings, his early encounters with Scotland Yard's James Japp, and the introduction of a particular nemesis.
Cast and crew
Bluemel expressed his excitement in the announcement: 'I feel very lucky to have been trusted with such an iconic character who has been played by so many great actors. I can't wait to continue Hercule's legacy.'
Agatha Christie's great-grandson James Prichard will serve as an executive producer. He noted that his father worked with David Suchet on the long-running ITV series. Prichard added: 'I now have the good fortune of being able to share my great-grandmother's brilliant stories with a new generation of viewers. Edward Bluemel is an extremely talented performer and will make a great addition to the long line of actors that have played this celebrated character, aided and abetted by Benji Walters' thoughtful scripts. I cannot wait to see Edward on screen as Hercule Poirot.'
The series is written by Benji Walters, who penned the ITV crime drama Code of Silence. Jonny Campbell, whose credits include Dracula and Doctor Who, will direct the first two episodes. Filming is set to begin in Liverpool this summer.
Rebecca Durbin and Damien Timmer, executive producers for production company Mammoth Screen, said: 'Edward Bluemel and Benji Walters are both extraordinary talents, and it is a joy to see them take on this beloved character and make him their own. Hercule is both a love letter to Agatha Christie and a fascinating new perspective on an iconic figure – we hope viewers will find it as arresting as we do!'
Hercule will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK, and on BritBox in North America.
