BBC AMERICA TO CO-PRODUCE "THE SPIES OF WARSAW" FOR DRAMAVILLE

David Tennant and Janet Montgomery star in new mini-series based on Alan Furst's acclaimed spy novel

New York - Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - BBC AMERICA is co-producing a new mini-series for Dramaville based on Alan Furst's acclaimed novel, The Spies of Warsaw, adapted by renowned Emmy(R)-winning writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. David Tennant (Doctor Who, Fright Night, Hamlet, Casanova) and Janet Montgomery (Black Swan, Entourage) will star in the thrilling spy story set in Poland, Paris, London and Berlin in the years leading up to the Second World War. The mini-series will premiere in the US as part of BBC AMERICA's Dramaville programming block.

The Spies of Warsaw (4 x 45) is a Fresh Pictures production, executive produced by Richard Fell for Fresh Pictures and Jamie Laurenson for the BBC, co-produced by BBC AMERICA, Apple Film for TV Poland in association with ARTE FRANCE and BBC Worldwide. The production begins shooting next month on location in Poland.

In the mini-series, French and German intelligence operatives are locked in a life-and-death struggle in the espionage arena. At the French embassy, the new military attaché, Colonel Jean-Francois Mercier (Tennant), a decorated war hero of the 1914 war, is drawn into a world of abduction, betrayal and intrigue in the diplomatic salons and back alleys of Warsaw. At the same time, the handsome aristocrat finds himself in a passionate love affair with Anna (Montgomery), a Parisian lawyer for the League of Nations. Their complicated love affair intensifies as German tanks drive through the Black Forest. The Spies of Warsaw combines historical, intelligent narratives, interlaced with flawed, romantic and compelling characters.

The cast includes Anton Lesser (Dramaville's The Hour) as Doctor Lapp, Burn Gorman (The Dark Knight Rises) as Jourdain, Richard Lintern (Dramaville's White Heat) as Colonel Lessard, Dan Fredenburgh (The Bourne Ultimatum) as Armand, Ludger Pistor (Casino Royale) as Edvard Uhl, Ann Eleonora Jorgensen (The Killing) as Olga Musser, Jan Pohl (Captain America: The First Avenger) as Zoller, Richard Teverson (Upstairs Downstairs) as Roddy Fitzware, Nicholas Blane (The Tudors) as Papa Heininger, Adam Godley (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory) as Halbach, Kenneth Collard (Albert Nobbs) as Johannes Elter, Tuppence Middleton (New Tricks) as Gabrielle, Rad Kaim (Harry Brown) as August Voss, Piotr Baumann (The Street) as Maxim Mostov, Ellie Haddington (Creation) as Mme Dupin, Viktor Rosen (Gladiator) as Alan Corduner, Linda Bassett (The Hours) as Malka Rosen, Tusse Silberg (Drop The Dead Donkey) as Helena and Julian Harries (EastEnders) as Duff Cooper.

The Spies of Warsaw is the latest title to join BBC AMERICA's Dramaville, the home of groundbreaking British drama. Last month, the channel announced a new co-production Ripper Street set for the fall and acquisitions White Heat and Inside Men premiering in May and June. The Dramaville slate also includes the Golden Globe(R)-winning mini-series Luther and Golden Globe(R)-nominated mini-series The Hour.

BBC AMERICA delivers US audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy(R), five Golden Globes(R) and ten Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable's most affluent and educated audiences and is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 77 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist.