Dickens adaptations are something of a hardy perennial for the Beeb; there always seems to be one on screens or being considered. Now the company is entrusting Peaky Blinders' Steve Knight – with Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott aboard as producers – with a series of new shows based on the author's work. And with the festive season about to be in full swing, it feels appropriate that they're kicking off with A Christmas Carol.
Dickens' iconic novella was first published in 1843 and has partly been responsible for how we Brits view Christmas. The story of skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge, his supernatural visitations and (spoiler alert!) change of moods has been adapted into TV series, movies and plays over the years, but now Knight will be attempting his own take. "Any question about narrative storytelling is answered by Dickens," he said in a statement. "To have the chance to revisit the text and interpret in a new way is the greatest privilege. We need luck and wisdom to do this justice."
No casting has been announced yet and we don't know if Hardy – who appears in Blinders and also Taboo, which Knight works on – will show up in front of the camera. Could he throw on some make-up and go Full Scrooge? Or could we see him as a knockabout Ghost Of Christmas Present?
Also unknown right now is what other Dickens stories Knight has his eye on, and we'll have to wait for his wintry ghost story, as A Christmas Carol will debut during Christmas 2019.