Eccleston Is... Number Six

Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston will star as Number Six in a television remake of the cult favorite series, "The Prisoner". "The 1967 series, starring Patrick McGoohan as a former secret agent who was kidnapped and imprisoned in a mystery village, baffled millions of viewers around the world," says the Times. "The new version, made by Granada for Sky One, will incorporate the paranoia, conspiracy theories and hi-tech action sequences of modern-day spy dramas 24 and Spooks. ... Hollywood stars have also pitched for the role but discussions with Eccleston are at an advanced stage, according to production sources. However, the Welsh tourist 'village' of Portmeirion, where the original ATV show was filmed, will be replaced by a more exotic foreign location, probably outraging fans of the original. ... Damien Timmer, executive producer of The Prisoner, said: 'The series is like Pandora's box; it's the ultimate conspiracy thriller. Like 24, the new series will entrap you from the opening scene.' Granada hopes the series will tap into the show's cult following, while also appealing to younger viewers. It is expected to appear before a long-mooted Hollywood film remake, and Granada is expecting to sell the show internationally. McGoohan won a global fan base for the 17-episode series, which made regular use of his catchphrase: 'I am not a number; I'm a free man.' His nameless character -- Number Six -- was abducted after resigning from a top secret government position and relocated to a sinister village where nothing was as it seemed. However, Granada is promising a 'radical reinvention' and a plot that will make sense to viewers who watch the six-episode series." Meanwhile, according to the Mirror, "Director of programmes Richard Woolfe promised a 'thrilling reinvention' of the drama about an ex-secret agent trapped in an isolated village. 'If Doctor Who set the standard, The Prisoner raises the bar,' he said. ... 'This project has been subject to an unprecedented level of attention, attracting an array of A-list actors and writers,' said commissioning editor Elaine Pyke. The new series will be made by Granada from a script Bill Gallagher, writer of the award-winning series Clocking Off. 'The Prisoner is like Pandora's box - it's the ultimate conspiracy thriller,' said Damien Timmer, executive producer of the show. 'Like 24, the new series will entrap you from the opening scene. We hope it will tap into this iconic show's existing cult following, whilst creating a whole new generation of fans.'" Also reported at the Daily Record, The Stage, The Register, Zap2Itand various other Internet news sites.