Radio 4's Bleak Expectations to transfer to TV

Monday 21st February 2011 @ 2pm by Ian Wolf

Bleak Expectations. Image shows from L to R: Hardthrasher (Geoffrey Whitehead), Aunt Lily (Celia Imrie), Young Pip (Tom Allen), Mr Gently Benevolent (Anthony Head), Sir Philip Bin (Richard Johnson), Harry Biscuit (James Bachman). Image credit: British Broadcasting Corporation. BBC Radio 4 sitcom Bleak Expectations is to be adapted for TV to mark Charles Dickens's bicentenary.

Creator Mark Evans has been commissioned to write a TV version of the award-winning comedy, which will be titled Old Shop Of Stuff when it airs on BBC Two.

The project is being overseen by the BBC in-house head of comedy Mark Freeland, whilst Gareth Edwards will carry on his role as producer. Freeland told The Guardian: "For many years we have been looking to do the Victorian romp and there it is sitting on our doorstep."

While a series is believed to be the most likely option, there is also a belief that it could take a one-off format, depending on how the script is developed.

The original radio version tells the story of Sir Philip 'Pip' Bin, the inventor of the bin, who is played by two actors. The older, grumpier version - the character who narrates the show - is played by Richard Johnson, while the younger more upbeat Pip is played by Tom Allen. The story follows Pip's blighted life and that of his friend, the world's worst inventor, Harry Biscuit (James Bachman) as they try to foil the schemes of Pip's evil and ironically named guardian Mr Gently Benevolent (Anthony Head). It is not yet known whether the new TV version will feature the same cast, but it is likely that they will be offered parts in the show first.

Bleak Expectations is very popular with the Radio 4 audience. In the 2009 Comedy.co.uk Awards it was named 'Best British Radio Sitcom', and the series also polled a large number of votes in the 2010 awards. The programme has also won a Sony award.