The BBC has announced that Hugh Grant is set to star in the BBC One drama A Very English Scandal, which is being directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen) from a script By Russell T Davies (Doctor Who).
A Very English Scandal will tell the true story of MP Jeremy Thorpe, the first British politician to stand trial for conspiracy and incitement to murder. Beginning in the 1960s, when homosexuality had only just been decriminalized in the UK, the logline for the drama reads: “[Thorpe] has a secret he’s desperate to hide. As long as his ex-lover Scott is around, Thorpe’s brilliant career is at risk. Thorpe schemes and deceives — until he can see only one way to silence Scott for good. The trial of Thorpe changed society forever, illuminating the darkest secrets of the establishment. The Thorpe affair revealed such breathtaking deceit and corruption that, at the time, hardly anyone dared believe it could be true.”
“Hugh is one our most iconic British actors — sharp, witty, deeply human and nuanced — and to have him play one of the most controversial figures of British politics is utterly thrilling,” said executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. “With Russell T Davies writing and Stephen Frears directing, A Very English Scandal unites the highest level of talent to bring this extraordinary true story to life.”
Grant was most recently seen on the big screen in Florence Foster Jenkins, which saw him receive Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations.
Originally published May 23, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
