Beloved BBC drama to be revived after 30 years

EntertainmentLifestyle
5 Mar 2026 • 8:43 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • See-Saw Films, the production company behind Apple TV's Slow Horses, has won a bidding war to produce a new adaptation of the classic detective series Lovejoy.
  • The original Lovejoy was a popular BBC series in the late 1980s, starring Ian McShane as a rogueish antiques dealer, based on novels by Jonathan Gash.
  • See-Saw Films intends to create a "contemporary reimagining" of the novels, aiming to strip away the 1980s adaptation's nostalgia and return to the books' original, unrulier spirit.
  • The author's agent highlighted the importance of preserving the books' "morally ambiguous, often unpleasant anti-hero" while updating the story for a modern audience.
  • The project is not yet attached to a broadcaster or streaming service, and no lead actor has been announced for the titular role.

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