Davies set to adapt erotic thriller for ITV

Andrew Davies must be the busiest writer in Britain. ITV has commissioned him to pen an adaptation of the modern, erotic thriller Sleep with Me by Joanna Briscoe, according to MediaGuardian. The two-part mini-series will be produced by Independent Clerkenwell Films. Davies is also working on a tele-film adaptation of EM Forster's A Room with a View for ITV, due to air in 2008.

Davies has also been busy scripting productions for the BBC. These include Sense and Sensibility, yet another Austen adaptation, set to air this Autumn, plus Fanny Hill, John Cleland's racy 18th century novel, which is to be broadcast on BBC4. Davies is also reported to be working on a new BBC series of Dicken's Little Dorrit, emulating the soap opera style of the highly successful Bleak House, and is also to pen a single 90-minute drama of James Hawes's Speak for England, to air on BBC2.

Dickens fest at the BBC in 2008

Apparently the BBC is set to bring yet ANOTHER adaptation of Oliver Twist to our TV screens, according to The Stage. The new Oliver Twist is due to start filming this Summer and air next year. Coky Giedroyc (The Virgin Queen) will direct. It seems likely the adaptors will take a traditional approach to this ever-popular tale, according to comments from costume designer Amy Roberts, who told The Stage that the producer has warned 'that we have to be aware of the fact people love the story and will want an old friend.'

I can't say I'm jumping for joy at this news. How many Oliver Twists do we actually need? We had the Roman Polanski film in 2005, and two TV versions in 1997 and 1999. Plus, plenty more before then!

More exciting I feel is the upcoming Andrew Davies's adaptation of Little Dorrit (also Dickens of course) which is set to air next Autumn, and is due to be televised as a soap opera, in the same manner as the BBC's hugely successful Bleak House.

Andrew Davies - busy bee ...

In addition to his commitments with Sense & Sensibility in 2007, there's to be even more Andrew Davies in the near future... Oh yes. Lots more. Rumours suggest that Britain's best-loved and loathed (in equal measure it seems) text-to-screen adapter will write Dickens's Little Dorrit for the BBC, re-make Forster's A Room with a View for ITV and pen a new version of Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, planned for 2008, and due to be made by Ecosse Films and Warner Independent. Jeremy Brock (Charlotte Gray 2001, Mrs Brown 1997) is set to co-write. Casting is still unknown, despite rumours of Jude Law coming on board as Sebastian. Davies is also working on a version of John Cleland's Fanny Hill - an adaptation where rumours of rampant sex, as is usual with Davies's work, (though normally unsubstantiated), will be well-deserved no doubt.