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.
