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Parkinson, Douglas and Stephens join cast of BBC and BritBox Poirot series Hercule

The BBC and BritBox have announced further cast for Hercule, a six-part Poirot series starring Edward Bluemel, and named Peril at End House as the second Agatha Christie novel it will adapt. Roles are not yet revealed.

4 outlets · 0L · 4C · 0R First reported Account updated

Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Collider, Screen Rant.

Image: Deadline
Image: Radio Times
Image: Screen Rant
Image: Collider

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The story, neutrally told

Centre · 2The BBC and BritBox have announced more cast for Hercule, their Hercule Poirot series, including Katherine Parkinson, Omari Douglas and Toby Stephens. Centre · 2Other new cast members are Jessica Alexander, Honor Swinton Byrne, Paul Forman, Arthur Hughes, Ralf Little, River Medway and Natalie Quarry. Their roles have not been revealed. Centre · 2Deadline reported that the second book to be adapted for Mammoth Screen's show is Agatha Christie's Peril at End House, following Lord Edgware Dies. It said the third novel is still to be revealed. Radio Times also gave Lord Edgware Dies as the first adaptation and Peril at End House as the second.

Centre · 1Screen Rant said the BBC has officially confirmed Peril at End House, Christie's 1932 book, as the second of three novels the series will adapt, with Lord Edgware Dies (1933) announced first. Centre · 1Deadline described Peril at End House as set in Cornwall, where Poirot and Hastings meet a young woman who is persuaded that someone is out to kill her. Centre · 2Edward Bluemel plays the lead. The six-episode series is billed as "an intimate study of Hercule Poirot" that introduces him to "future friends, allies and one particular nemesis", whose identity has not been revealed.

Centre · 2The show is filming in Liverpool. Benji Walters wrote it, and Jonny Campbell, Chanya Button and Alrick Riley direct. Deadline said Campbell directs the first two episodes, Button the next two and Riley the final two. Centre · 1Deadline listed executive producers including Walters, Campbell, James Prichard for Agatha Christie Limited, Rebecca Durbin and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, Nick Lambon for the BBC, and Robert Schildhouse, Jon Farrar and Stephen Nye for BritBox. Charlie Palmer is series producer and Fifth Season handles global distribution. Centre · 1Radio Times recalled earlier supporting cast announcements: James D'Arcy, Jack Gleeson, Tamsin Greig, James Nesbitt and Mawaan Rizwan. When Bluemel's casting was announced in June, James Prichard said he was an "extremely talented performer". Radio Times said the series is coming soon to BBC One and iPlayer.

Centre · 1Collider described the new names as "potential suspects" for the six-part first set of cases, and noted that the wider cast includes Game of Thrones alumni Jack Gleeson and Henry Ashton. It also noted Jessica Alexander's recent role in the FX series The Beauty. Centre · 1Deadline placed the series in a context of Christie adaptations continuing to rate, citing big audiences for Netflix's Agatha Christie's Seven Dials.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre4 outlets

Framing
All four outlets treat it as entertainment news. Deadline runs an exclusive with production detail, Radio Times a viewer-facing cast guide, Screen Rant leads on the second adapted novel, and Collider on the cast as "suspects".
Emphasis
Deadline: the second book, crew and executive producers, and Christie's ratings. Radio Times: familiar past roles, earlier cast and the Prichard quote. Screen Rant: the Peril at End House adaptation. Collider: Jessica Alexander, Toby Stephens, Katherine Parkinson and the Game of Thrones alumni.
Leaves out or plays down
Radio Times leaves out the producer list, distributor and episode-by-episode directors. Deadline does not list earlier cast or give the Prichard quote. Screen Rant and Collider give little production detail.
Charged language
“potential suspects”“Agatha Christie's Greatest Detective”
For example
“EXCLUSIVE: The BBC and BritBox’s Poirot series Hercule has unveiled more cast” — Deadline
“One of Agatha Christie's best novels will be adapted in the BBC's upcoming Hercule Poirot series.” — Screen Rant
“BritBox has officially revealed more potential suspects filling out Hercule's six-part first set of cases” — Collider

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.