Hugh Laurie to Star in ROADKILL from David Hare

Award-winning actor Hugh Laurie (House, The Night Manager) will play a Conservative minister in a major new political thriller for BBC One written by David Hare (Collateral) and produced by The Forge (Collateral, National Treasure, Kiri).

Roadkill is a four-part fictional thriller about a self-made, forceful and charismatic politician called Peter Laurence (Hugh Laurie). Peter's public and private life seems to be falling apart - or rather is being picked apart by his enemies. As the personal revelations spiral, he is shamelessly untroubled by guilt or remorse, expertly walking a high wire between glory and catastrophe as he seeks to further his own agenda whilst others plot to bring him down. However events show just how hard it is, for both an individual and a country, to leave the past behind. With enemies so close to home, can Peter Laurence ever out-run his own secrets to win the ultimate prize?

Roadkill was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama and Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC Content. It will be directed by Michael Keillor (Line Of Duty, Strike, Chimerica) and executive producers are creator David Hare, George Faber and Mark Pybus for The Forge, Lucy Richer for the BBC and Michael Keillor.

David Hare says: "I first worked with Hugh Laurie in 1987 when he set off on his riveting change of direction from adroit comedian to commanding dramatic actor. I can't wait to see him embody the fictional future of the Conservative party in Roadkill."

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, says: "Roadkill is a thriller which explores the relationship between personal morality and political power. Hugh Laurie is an incredible actor who will play this fictional role with utter conviction, and it is a great honour to work once again with David Hare and The Forge to bring this brilliantly sharp and funny drama to BBC One."

Further casting will be announced in due course.

Playwright, screenwriter, director and producer David Hare has written several feature films, including The Hours and The Reader both of which won Oscars, plus widely-acclaimed plays including Plenty and Skylight and BBC Two's thriller Collateral.

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