Channel 4 to air hit US drama The Handmaid’s Tale starring Elisabeth Moss and Joseph Fiennes
The drama, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, will air this month
Channel 4 has acquired acclaimed US drama series The Handmaid’s Tale from MGM Television.
Based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, the 10-part series stars Mad Men actress Elisabeth Moss and centres on life in the dystopian Gilead, a totalitarian society facing environmental disasters and a plunging birth rate in what was formerly part of the United States.
The series is currently airing on streaming service Hulu in the US, and has already been recommissioned for a second season.
Channel 4 has confirmed that The Handmaid's Tale will begin airing in the UK from Sunday 28th May at 9pm.
Moss’ character Offred is a Handmaid in the Commander’s (Joseph Fiennes) household, one of the caste of women who find themselves forced into sexual servitude in order to repopulate a devastated world.
The series also stars Samira Wiley, Max Minghella, Yvonne Strahovski, O-T Fagbenle, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer and Ann Dowd.
Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer said, “The Handmaid’s Tale is a chilling and frighteningly topical exploration of a world where women are subjugated. I'm delighted that Channel 4 viewers will get to see this critically-acclaimed take on a classic novel.”
The Handmaid's Tale has been streaming weekly on Hulu in the US since launching on Wednesday 26 April. However, the on demand service is not currently available in the UK, leaving the series' creators MGM Television open to negotiate international broadcast rights.
Contrary to earlier reports suggesting that Amazon Prime Video had secured the UK rights, the deal with Channel 4 means that the series will be available to watch free to air.
The Handmaid's Tale will begin on Sunday 28th May at 9pm on Channel 4.
