Tom Bateman, Richard E Grant and Natalie Gumede among cast

Tom Bateman (Da Vinci’s Demons, The Tunnel) will lead the cast of new ten-part ITV drama Jekyll and Hyde playing Robert Jekyll.

Richard E Grant (Downton Abbey, Dr Who) plays Sir Roger Bulstrode who heads the secret government department M10 known as ‘The Invisible Men’ and Natalie Gumede (Coronation Street, Death In Paradise) takes the part of Bella who forms part of a love triangle with Robert. 

Novelist Charlie Higson will write and executive produce the ITV Studios drama inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Set in 1930’s London, the series will pay homage to the Stevenson novel, and focus on the young, attractive, troubled hero, Robert Jekyll, the grandson of the original doctor.  

At the heart of the drama is Robert Jekyll’s quest to discover his real identity, his true family history and the nature of his ‘curse’. The series is described as exuding ‘mystery, fantasy, horror and sci-fi.’

Higson’s Jekyll is a young, sensitive and naïve man of intellect and morality, a well meaning if slightly repressed character who slips between his two personas unwillingly.  Hyde is a totally different person; a superhero with super powers, great strength, speed and invulnerability. He is confident, risk-taking and lives life on the edge.  His self-destructive nature gets him into trouble, and yet he is an incredibly powerful force.  He is a man of action who gets things done despite the consequences!  

Further cast includes Stephanie Hyam (Murdered By My Boyfriend), Donald Sumpter (Game Of Thrones), Amit Shah (The Smoke), Phil McKee (Ripper Street), Christian McKay (Theory of Everything), Ruby Bentall (The Paradise), Enzo Cilenti (Game of Thrones), Lolita Chakrabarti (Death in Paradise), Michael Karim (Inspector Lewis) and Ace Bhatti (Silk).

Jekyll & Hyde will be directed by Colin Teague (Being Human) with production in Sri Lanka commencing late January and filming in London from February until July 2015.