Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, Vanity Fair follows Becky Sharp as she attempts to claw her way out of poverty and scale the heights of English Society. Gwyneth Hughes’ adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s epic story of love and intrigue continues to add to an already stellar cast which includes Martin Clunes (Doc Martin), Tom Bateman (Murder On The Orient Express), Claudia Jessie (Line of Duty) and Frances de La Tour (Vicious) with the recent announcement that Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey, Doctor Foster) and Michael Palin (Monty Python, Remember Me and host of just about every great travel series coming out of the UK for decades) have been added to the cast.

Olivia Cooke (Secret of Crickley Hall, Blackout, Bates Motel, Ready Player One) will take on the role as the scheming Becky Sharp as  she attempts to escape poverty and ascend the heights of English Society where her considerable charm and beauty takes her all the way to the court of King George IV all the while breaking hearts and losing her fortune along the way with Clunes playing villainous aristocrat Sir Pitt Crawley. Palin will play the part of Thackeray narrating the action which is taken from the author’s 1848 classic with Jones playing the snobbish, name-dropping society lady Miss Pinkerton.

Aside from Gwyneth Hughes’ adaptation, the 7-part drama for ITV will be directed by James Strong (Broadchurch) and produced by War And Peace producer Julia Stannard for Mammoth Screen, the production company that has brought us Poldark and Victoria.

Vanity Fair will transmit on ITV this Autumn.

In: Drama

Related posts:

ITV’s ‘Vanity Fair’ adds Suranne Jones and Michael Palin to all-star cast ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is Vanity Fair’ Milly Dowler drama up next for Doc Martin’s Martin Clunes