BBC One announces adaptation of Sadie Jones’s The Outcast
BBC One today announces that Sadie Jones has written a two-part adaptation of her best-selling novel, The Outcast, starring George Mackay, Greg Wise, Hattie Morahan and Jessica Brown Findlay.
Published: 5 September 2014
The Outcast is a captivating and heart-breaking story of a young man’s desperate situation. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to work with BBC One to bring a two-part adaptation to screen to retain the essence of Sadie Jones’ award-winning novel.
The 2x90-minute drama will be produced by Blueprint Pictures and directed by Iain Softley (The Wings of the Dove).
The Outcast is a deeply romantic, uncomfortably honest coming-of-age story set in booming post-war Britain. The novel has been published in 22 countries and was awarded the Costa First Novel Award as well as being an Orange Prize for Fiction finalist.
Lewis (George Mackay - Pride) is 10 years old when Elizabeth (Hattie Morahan - The Bletchley Circle) his beloved mother dies, leaving him alone with a father, Gilbert (Greg Wise - Sense And Sensibility), he barely knows after years away at war. When Gilbert remarries the fragile Alice (Jessica Brown Findlay - Jamaica Inn), ill-equipped for her new life, Lewis relies on his friendship with neighbouring children Tamsin and Kit (Daisy Bevan - The Two Faces Of January and Jessica Barden - Far From The Madding Crowd). But despite their own father Dicky (Nathaniel Parker - Stardust) not being all he seems, Tamsin and Kit negotiate a safe childhood whilst a grief-stricken Lewis sets about destroying his. All but abandoned by his father, events in Lewis's teenage years begin to spiral out of control and take him further and further away from the help that he needs.
Christine Langan, Head of BBC Films, said: “The Outcast is a captivating and heart-breaking story of a young man’s desperate situation. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to work with BBC One to bring a two-part adaptation to screen to retain the essence of Sadie Jones's award-winning novel.”
Pete Czernin, Blueprint Pictures, said: “This is Blueprint’s first foray into television and we couldn’t think of a better novel to start our TV endeavours.”
The Outcast was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Controller, BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama. The executive producers are Christine Langan and Beth Pattinson for BBC and Pete Czernin and Graham Broadbent for Blueprint Pictures. The producer is Celia Duval.
Filming has started in Buckinghamshire for transmission in 2015.
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