Michael Gambon & Keeley Hawes To Star In BBC One/HBO Co-Production 'The Casual Vacancy' – TVWise

Harry Potter alum Michael Gambon and Line of Duty star Keeley Hawes have been cast in The Casual Vacancy, the BBC One/HBO co-production whish is an adaptation of the JK Rowling novel of the same name.
The Casual Vacancy centres on Pagford, a seemingly idyllic English village with a cobbled market square and ancient abbey. Behind the pretty façade, however, is a town at war: rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils. The series is based on novel of the same name which, since its initial publication in 2012, has sold more tha 6 million copies worldwide.
Michael Gambon has been cast as Howard Mollison, owner of the Pagford delicatessen; while Keeley Hawes will play Samantha Mollison, Howard’s daughter-in-law. Rounding out the cast is Julia McKenzie (Notes On A Scandal) as Shirley, Howard’s wife; Rufus Jones (W1A) as Miles, Howard’s son and Samantha’s husband; Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful) as Barry Fairbrother; Keeley Forsyth (Coronation Street) as Terri Weedon; Abigail Lawrie as Krystal Weedon; Monica Dolan (Sightseers) as Tess Wall; Simon McBurney (Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy) as Colin Wall; Richard Glover (A Field In England) as Simon Price; Marie Critchley (In The Flesh) as Ruth Price; and Michelle Austin (Secrets & Lies) as Kay Bawden.
The three-part adaptation, which is being written by The Crimson Field Scribe Sarah Phelps, is being produced by Bronte Film and Television, the independent production company run by JK Rowling and Neil Blair. The project landed at the BBC back in December 2012, with HBO having recently boarded the production as a co-producer. The executive producers are Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Paul Trijbits. In The Flesh helmer Jonny Campbell is attached to direct. Production is set to commence on July 7th in South West England. Warner Bros. International Television Distribution is handling global sales.