ITV pursues Jekyll & Hyde

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has confirmed a commission for a 10-part adventure drama based on Robert Louis Stephenson’s classic novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Penned by Charlie Higson (The Fast Show) and produced by ITV Studios (ITVS), Jekyll & Hyde will be loosely based on the original book which chronicles the troubled experiments of Dr Jekyll, who theorises that in each man is a good side and an evil side which can be separated into two.

Higson will write and exec produce the drama, which was first mooted earlier this year and will follow the story of Robert Jekyll, the grandson of the original doctor, in 1930s London.

ITVS director of drama Francis Hopkinson (Lucan, Wallander, DCI Banks) will also exec produce with Foz Allan (Wolfblood, The Dumping Ground, Robin Hood) as series producer. The series was commissioned by ITV director of drama Steve November and head of drama series, Jane Hudson.

Jekyll & Hyde will be directed by Colin Teague (Being Human, The Town, Sinbad) with production in India commencing in January 2015 and filming in London from February until July 2015.

The commission follows a similar greenlight based on another classic story, Frankenstein. ITV’s fledgling drama channel ITV Encore ordered a six-part re-imagining of the tale from UK indie Rainmark Films last week. The Frankenstein Chronicles will star Sean Bean as a police inspector who pursues Dr Frankenstein’s infamous creation across 19th century London.

In related news, Jane Root’s factual-skewing production firm Nutopia has teamed up with adventurer Bear Grylls’ production company BGV to make a 3×60’ series for ITV.

Britain’s Biggest Adventures (working title) will see Grylls travel across the UK exploring the country’s natural history, botany and geology.