BBC to Make a New Crucifixion Drama

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BBC Online is reporting that the BBC is to make a new retelling of the Crucifixion story which will run over 6 nights in the run up to Easter 2008.

It's obviously very early days in the life of this potential film, and it's unclear from BBC1 controller Peter Fincham's words whether this will be set in a contemporary setting, as the recent Manchester Passion (which I will be reviewing on Tuesday) was, or whether it will be set in the original setting like Jesus of Nazareth (which the article also cites).

Either way it sounds like an exciting project, and it's nice to see BBC1 giving some air time to some religious dramatic work. That sais we will have to wait and see both whether it will be any good and, in fact, whether it will happen at all.

"I don't yet know whether the Passion will happen," Mr Fincham said on Wednesday, "but it's an example of something that I believe that the BBC, and in particular BBC One, should do."

A BBC spokeswoman added: "It's an idea that's in development but has yet to be commissioned...It would look to build on the success of Manchester Passion, which brought a whole new audience to the story."