Kenneth Lonergan to pen Howards End for TV

BBC One has commissioned a four-part adaptation of E.M. Forster‘s classic novel Howards End.

Originally published in 1910, the new TV mini-series will be written by award-winning screenwriter and playwright Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me, Gangs of New York).

Howards End explores the changing landscape of social and class divisions in turn of the century England through the prism of three families: the intellectual and idealistic Schlegels, the wealthy Wilcoxes from the world of business, and the working class Basts.

Kenneth Lonergan says, “I’m very proud to have been entrusted with this adaptation of Howards End for the BBC. The book belongs to millions of readers past and present; I only have the nerve to take it on at all because of the bottomless wealth and availability of its ideas, the richness of its characters and the imperishable strain of humanity running through every scene. The blissfully expansive mini-series format makes it possible to mine these materials with a freedom and fidelity that would be otherwise impossible. It’s a humbling and thrilling creative venture transporting the Schlegels, Wilcoxes and Bastsfrom the page to the screen. I hope audiences will enjoy spending time with them as much as I do.”

The series is part of over 35 hours of new drama commissions announced by Polly Hill, Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning.

Howards End is produced by Playground in association with City Entertainment and KippSterEntertainment, and is slated to start production in summer 2016.