Nothing says Christmas quite like Charles Dickens’ stories. And this Christmas former EastEnders’ master-writer, Tony Jordan, crams in a whole host of the author’s famous fictional characters and has them living side-by-side in a magical reimagining!
Speaking to What’s on TV on the impressive Dickensian set Tony said: “We’ve taken iconic Dickens characters that people know and love - Scrooge, Fagin, Jacob Marley, Bill and Nancy, Mr and Mrs Bumble – and built them a world called Dickensian.”
He added: “Some of it’s prequel. Some of it’s sequel. And some of it’s new stuff that I’ve made up. There are no rules because we’re not sticking to the rules!
“We’ll see Great Expectation’s Miss Havisham as a young, beautiful woman, and scenes between Oliver Twist’s Fagin and A Christmas Carol’s Ebenezer Scrooge. The cast is amazing!”
Caroline Quentin plays Mrs Bumble, the lady who ran the poorhouse in Oliver Twist. Caroline revealed: “I play unspeakably horrible Mrs Bumble from Oliver Twist. She’s a terrible social climber. She’s interested in money and power and hates the children she has to look after!”
Talking about working on the ambitious twenty-part project, Caroline said: “Dickensian is like stepping back in time. Most people know a Dickens story or character from his books or TV and films adaptations. It’s a joy to see all of these wonderful characters interact in a whole new Dickensian world.”
Other familiar faces appearing in the 20-part extravaganza include Tuppence Middleton as Great Expectation’s Miss Havisham before her fateful wedding day, Peter Firth as the living Jacob Marley, Stephen Rea as Inspector Bucket, and Pauline Collins as Mrs Gamp. Sophie Rundle and Omid Djalili also star.
