Detective drama fans may have cause to rejoice as a much-loved TV series starring an “underestimated” sleuth could be poised for a comeback years after fading from our screens.
James Prichard, the great-grandson of legendary novelist Agatha Christie, has teased that viewers might soon be treated to the return of Miss Marple on television.
This iconic detective ranks among Christie’s most famous creations. Various actresses have played Miss Marple over the decades, with Joan Hickson taking on the part in the 1980s series and talents such as Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie embodying her in the ITV adaptations.
In conversations about the new adaptation of Towards Zero, James disclosed the exciting prospect of a fresh iteration of Miss Marple being in development.
Miss Marple originally aired in the 1980s (Image: ITV)
In an interview with , James expressed his enthusiasm: “I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve been trying to get something for Miss Marple off the ground for a very long time. For good reasons, Poirot has stolen her limelight since time began. I re-read all the Marple stories five years ago and I’d forgotten how good they were.”
He continued, applauding the character as “underestimated” and commending Agatha Christie for her knack for crafting “a lot of strong women”.
He painted a multifaceted portrait of his great-grandmother as “an extremely interesting woman, because part of her was very shy and retiring”, yet she was “also a forceful person, reports .
“She would claim not to have been a feminist, but she absolutely thought she was as powerful as any man who she came across,” he said. “And that’s the kind of woman she wrote about.”
BBC’s Towards Zero will begin airing in March (Image: BBC)
In other news, James characterised the upcoming series Towards Zero as somewhat “little lighter” and hinted at more TV series of similar style in the pipeline. The series is set to premiere in March, boasting a star-studded cast including Oliver Jackson Cohen, Ella Lily Hyland, Mimi Keene, and Anjelica Huston.
Set against the backdrop of 1936 England, the three-part drama revolves around a murder mystery involving a newly divorced British tennis player vacationing at his aristocratic aunt’s residence on the south coast. Descriptions of Towards Zero hint at an ‘explosive love triangle’ and a ‘deadly web of jealousy and deceit’.
Towards Zero premieres on iPlayer on Sunday, 2 March from 6am, and airs on One at 9pm.