What's up next for the Earl of Grantham? Mr. Stink, of course.
Somehow, in trying not to be bitter about Sunday’s Emmy Award snub of both Downton Abbey and Sherlock, I had this visual of Hugh Bonneville leaving the Emmy Awards last night and when the Ryan Seacrest of the day asks what he was going to do next, the Earl of Grantham would shout, “I’m going to play Mr. Stink!“. None of this ‘I’m going to Disney World’ for the man that brought the house down at the Television Critics Association meeting this summer by sporting a ‘Free Bates t-shirt at the PBS opening session.
When filming begins in October, the Downton Abbey star will ‘move downstairs, so to speak’ and play the title character of Mr. Stink, a homeless man befriended by Chloe, a lonely 12-year-old girl who invites him to live in the shed at the end of her family’s garden. Mr Stink will be adapted for television by Walliams and Men Behaving Badly creator Simon Nye.
The BBC One television adaptation of Walliams’ book, which is up for the Blue Peter best book of the decade award is set for a December broadcast on BBC One. Bonneville will star in the story of Chloe, a lonely 12-year-old girl who befriends Mr. Stink and invites him to live in the shed at the end of her family’s garden. In addition to adapting the book for the small screen, Walliams will also appear as the Prime Minister.
On the casting of Bonneville in the title role, Walliams said: “I am thrilled that Hugh is playing Mr Stink. He is one of the most popular and talented actors around, and is the perfect person to bring out the character’s humour and sadness.”. Taking a page from the Dowager Countess quote book, Bonneville said, “I’m delighted to be adding my own whiff to the odor that emanates from David Walliams, and his very funny, touching and thought-provoking story.”
I’m still not over the Emmys, but this will help.
