PlayExclusive first look at new Miss Marple
Published: Wednesday, 23 January 2008, 1:31PM
Here is an exclusive first look at the new Miss Marple and you can also watch Julia discussing her famous new role.
Julia McKenzie is joined by a top name cast as filming begins on her first episode, A Pocket Full of Rye. Matthew MacFadyen, Rupert Graves, Helen Baxendale and Wendy Richard are among the co-stars.
The drama begins with the death of wealthy businessman Rex Fortescue (Ken Cranham) who is poisoned by an extract of yew berries.
A pocketful of rye is found in his jacket. No one seems too upset because he was universally disliked, especially by his children.
Yew Tree Lodge with its collection of servants and housekeepers, each with their own ears to the ground, seems a much happier place without him. But not for long.
Inspector Neele (MacFadyen) is despatched to the house to investigate. The house’s maid Gladys, who was trained by Miss Marple, writes to her for help.
The case appears to be following the children’s rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence.
Discussing her role Julia said: “I’m very excited but also slightly daunted by the enormous responsibility that comes with taking on such an iconic role.
“Just about everybody in the world knows about Miss Marple and has an opinion of what she should be like. So I’m under no illusions about the size of the task ahead. And I suppose I’ll have to remind myself how to knit."
A star of stage and screen, Julia most recently appeared in Cranford as Mrs Forrester and the critically acclaimed Notes On A Scandal.
On stage Julia recently starred in The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic opposite Kevin Spacey and has many award wins and nominations to her name. She won an Olivier for her performance as Mrs Lovett in the National Theatre production of Sweeny Todd.
Geraldine McEwan, the last actress to take on the role, retired last month after three series. She appeared in 12 films and two of them, Towards Zero and Nemesis will be shown on ITV1 in 2008.
The ITV films have been sold to more than 100 countries worldwide and Agatha Christie’s work has been published in 70 countries.
A Pocket Full of Rye also stars: Helen Baxendale, Ralf Little, Prunella Scales, Laura Haddock (Honest) and Lucy Cohu.
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