Jack Thorne to adapt Lord of the Flies for TV
The adaptation of William Golding’s classic 1954 novel will be made up of four hour-long episodes.
The BBC has announced a brand new series adaptation of William Golding’s classic 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, to be written by His Dark Materials and Enola Holmes 2 scribe Jack Thorne.
The series will be made up of four hour-long episodes and, as in the book, will tell the story of a group of young boys who find themselves stranded on a tropical island and, in an attempt to remain civil, organise themselves led by Ralph and supported by the group’s intellectual, Piggy.
However Jack, who is in charge of signal fire duty, is more interested in hunting and vying for leadership and begins to draw other boys away from the order of the group and ultimately from hope to tragedy.
Judy Golding Carver, William Golding’s daughter, has given her support to the adaptation, saying: "My father wrote the novel in a passionate, visionary response to the aftermath of war. He understood that its relevance would not die away. I believe he would welcome the freshness and vigour with which Jack and Joel undertake the project, and he would certainly be touched by their intense commitment.
"Our family has been encouraged by our discussions with them – and as a result we put our trust in their skills and enthusiasm. My father was proud of the novel and had faith in its power and honesty. His family believe that this adaptation will do full justice to these qualities."
Meanwhile, Thorne said: "Joel [Wilson, executive producer] and I were talking in his kitchen and he said 'go on, name it, the one you'd like to do but don't think you ever will get the chance to' and I said Lord of the Flies, a book that left a scar on me like no other.
Read more:
- Doctor Who reveals new look for Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor in 1960s adventure
- Niamh Algar on Malpractice character: 'I don’t know how she‘ll be perceived'
"Joel shot up and said he’d been pestering the Golding family’s representatives for years. Soon after, he found a way to Judy Carver, and then brought me in and I am so delighted they've trusted us with this incredible book. Working with the mighty BBC... to bring this to life, finding our director and actors will be, I'm sure, one of the joys of my life."
Thorne added: "It is a book, I think, full of love as well as cruelty, about how we survive as people and the ways we undo ourselves. It is a TV show we hope families will watch together on the sofa and unpick just as I unpicked the book with my Mum as a kid."
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Lord of the Flies was announced alongside a raft of new BBC commissions, including an adaptation of Liz Jensen’s 2009 novel The Rapture, starring Ruth Madeley, which will be a five-part thriller series.
Also amongst the commissions was a three-part series about William Shakespeare, which is said to take "us on a vivid journey into Tudor England, bringing to life a dangerous and exciting world filled with murder, treason, political and religious intrigue, fraud, theft and beheadings, that sparked Shakespeare’s creative genius".
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
