The BBC has announced a new Agatha Christie series, Hercule, starring Edward Bluemel (We Might Regret This, My Lady Jane) as the Queen of Crime's iconic Belgian detective.
The upcoming six-part series is billed as an "intimate study of Hercule the man and an epic portrait of Britain between the wars," with filming set to commence this summer.
© BBC/Mammoth Screen/BritBox/Jonathan FordAs a longtime Agatha Christie fan, I couldn't be more excited. While Edward has massive shoes to fill following David Suchet's legendary, 25-year tenure as the iconic sleuth, I have no doubt the Sex Education actor will rise to the challenge and bring a fresh spin to the role.
Keep reading to find out all we know so far.
What to expect from Hercule
Penned by Benji Walters (Code of Silence, The Leopard, Obsession), the series takes a "magnifying glass to three of Christie's most celebrated stories, while also charting Hercule's burgeoning friendship with Captain Arthur Hastings, his early encounters with Scotland Yard's James Japp, and introducing him to one particular nemesis."
The series comes from Agatha Christie Limited and Mammoth Screen, which produced the BBC's Christie adaptations, Towards Zero and Murder Is Easy.
© Jonathan PrimeFilming will begin this summer, mainly in Liverpool. The series will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK, and on BritBox in North America, with a release date yet to be announced.
Jonny Campbell (Am I Being Unreasonable?, Dracula, In The Flesh) will direct the first two episodes.
Who is Edward Bluemel?
Edward, 33, is best known for his roles in Killing Eve, Sex Education, Killing Eve, My Lady Jane, We Might Regret This and Washington Black.
It's not his first time starring in an Agatha Christie adaptation, having played Jimmy Thesiger in Netflix Agatha Christie's Seven Dials, which was released earlier this year.
© NetflixOn his casting, Edward said: "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."
What have the created team said about the show?
James Prichard, executive producer for Agatha Christie Limited and the great grandson of Agatha Christie, said: "My father had the privilege of working with David Suchet for nearly 25 years, and 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."
© GettyMeanwhile, Rebecca Durbin and Damien Timmer, executive producers for Mammoth Screen, added: "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 One and iPlayer in the UK and on BritBox in North America. In the meantime, previous Agatha Christie adaptations are available to stream on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox.
