Ray Winstone to take the lead in brand new Sky 1 HD drama Moonfleet
As part of Sky’s investment in original content, Sky 1 HD today (Monday 10th June) announces the cast list and start of production on its ambitious brand new family drama MOONFLEET. Ray Winstone (The Sweeney, Great Expectations , who plays John Trenchard.and Sexy Beast)will lead the cast, alongside Aneurin Barnard (We’ll Take Manhattan, The White Queen)
Written by Ashley Pharoah (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes), this two-part adaptation of the much loved John Meade Falkner novel is set in the small Dorset village of Moonfleet. In the story, young John Trenchard (Barnard) is desperate to join the local band of smugglers led by Elzevir Block (Winstone). Together they embark on an adventure full of action, friendship and humour, and hunt for a fabled lost diamond. Their journey takes them from 18th Century Dorset, to the Jewel quarter of The Hague and on to a gripping, final sea voyage.
Ray Winstone comments: “I’m incredibly excited to be working with Sky - I can’t wait to start filming and it’s a real honour to be bringing such an epic adventure story to life.”
Newcomer Sophie Cookson joins the cast as John’s first love, Grace who is also the daughter of Moonfleet’s anti-smuggling magistrate, Mohune, played by Ben Chaplin (Mad Dogs, Dorian Gray). Omid Djalili (Gladiator) will appear as diamond merchant, Aldobrand, and Martin Trenaman (The Inbetweeners) as the Turnkey. Lorcan Cranitch (Silent Witness, Cracker) and Anthony Ofoegbu (Spooks, The Bill) play Elzevir’s fellow smugglers, Meech and Loder.
The 2 x 60 minute series was commissioned by Anne Mensah, Sky’s Head of Drama, and will be produced by the award-winning Company Pictures in association with Element Pictures. The Executive Producers are Huw Kennair-Jones for Sky, John Yorke and Claire Ingham for Company Pictures, Ashley Pharoah and Patrick Spence. The programme is directed by Andy de Emmony (The Bletchley Circle) and produced by Dan McCulloch (Endeavour). Filming begins in and around Dublin this summer.
Sky 1 HD’s MOONFLEET is part of Sky’s commitment to increase its investment in original British content by 50% by 2014, when Sky expects to invest £600 million a year in British programmes across its portfolio of channels. This commitment follows the success of home-grown content such as entertainment hits GOT TO DANCE and A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, dramas such as STRIKE BACK and MAD DOGS, comedies such as TROLLIED and STELLA and factual shows such as AN IDIOT ABROAD and the BAFTA-winning documentary FLYING MONSTERS 3D.
MOONFLEET will air exclusively on Sky 1 HD later this year.
Notes to editor
For more information contact:
Elena Kemp
Senior Publicist, Sky 1 HD
T: +44 (0)20 7032 1495
elena.kemp@bskyb.com
Lesley Land
Publicist, Sky 1 HD
T: +44 (0)207 032 0676
Lesley.land@bskyb.com
Charlotte Jordan, Publicity Assistant, Sky 1 HD
T: 0207 032 1496
M: +44 (0)7715799962
E: charlotte.Jordan@bskyb.com
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