The BBC has commissioned Dragon Slayers, a new factual drama exploring the work of Eccles-born Sir Harry Evans, former editor of The Sunday Times, whose Insight team became a byword for investigative journalism and broke some of the biggest stories in UK history.
Emmy award-winner Matthew Rhys (The Americans, The Beast in Me, Widow’s Bay – pictured) will star as Harry in the six-part series from AC Chapter One and Universal International Studios for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, which will be written by BAFTA award-winner Peter Bowker (The A Word, Marvellous).
Evans’ Insight team took on powerful corporations, the legal establishment and often the government itself. Their commitment was to the readers of the newspaper and to the truth – often hidden, and sometimes dangerous to find.
READ MORE: Fool Me Once and Shetland producers join ITV’s Disabled Writers in Development scheme
They fought for the victims of Thalidomide, unmasking the cover-ups that kept the public in the dark about the scandal, they worked to uncover the truth behind the DC-10 crash – then the world’s worst air disaster, and they faced down treason charges in exposing Kim Philby as one of the most successful spies of the 20th century.
Set in the 1970s, Dragon Slayers will be based on wide-ranging research, published accounts and interviews with those who knew and worked with Harry – including his widow, editor, author and journalist Tina Brown CBE, and the Evans family.
Bowker said: “Telling the story of Harry Evans and the work of his Insight team is both a privilege and a joy. And having Matthew leading the cast is more than we could have hoped for. All of us are now united by a desire to honour the passion, doggedness and humour of this remarkable group of people. I hope the drama will make us take a fresh look at both journalism and that much maligned decade – the 1970s.”
Rhys himself said: “At a time when stories of this nature are imperative, I am thrilled to be a part of this show.”
Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, added: “Dragon Slayers is a rollercoaster story, each episode gripping and powerful, written with Pete Bowker’s signature wit and sense of purpose. The investigative stories which were broken by Harry and his team carry as much power and purpose today as they did at the time. It’s a real coup that the wonderful Matthew Rhys will star as the iconic Harry Evans.”
Evans’ widow, Brown, said: “I could not be more thrilled that such a talented and creative team has come together to bring to the screen some of Harry’s most inspiring journalistic achievements at the Sunday Times, and that the brilliant and versatile Matthew Rhys will be playing him.”
Dragon Slayers (1 x 90 and 5 x 60) was commissioned by Salt. The series will be produced by AC Chapter One and co-produced by Universal International Studios for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Writer Bowker also executive produces, and Annalisa Dinnella (Sex Education, The Hack) co-wrote. The director is Al Mackay (The Cage, Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story), other executive producers are Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs The Post Office; A Spy Among Friends), Matthew Rhys and Joe Williams (Mr Bates vs The Post Office). The producer is Natasha Romaniuk (The Split, Outrageous), the casting director is Shaheen Baig (Adolescence; Peaky Blinders). The series is distributed by NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution.
