QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT 2005

THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT 2005

BBC4 - 2nd April 2005
8.20pm - 10.20pm
a live broadcast

introduction | tv on trial | publicity interviews |
the original Quatermass Collection dvd | the hammer quatermass experiment dvd

On Saturday 2nd April 2005, BBC4 are broadcasting the BBC's first live drama in over 20 years, a two-hour remake of Nigel Kneale's cult science fiction series, The Quatermass Experiment. The original series was broadcast over six weeks in 1953 and starred Reginald Tate. The first two episodes were recorded for posterity, and are being released (in an apparantly co-incidental move) by BBC Worldwide along with the BBC sequels Quatermass II and Quatermass and the Pit on Monday 4th April.

All three serials were adapted by Hammer Films, and a fourth series was made in 1979 by Independant Television. A 1990s radio serial was also broadcast on the BBC.

The 2005 cast have just been announced:-

Jason Flemyng - Professor Bernard Quatermass
Andy Tiernan - Caroon
David Tennant - Bricoe
Mark Gatiss - Paterson
Isla Blair - Blaker
Andrew Bower - Fullalove
Indira Varma - Judith

The drama is being directed by Sam Miller (This Life, Quite Ugly One Morning, Elephant Juice, and Among Giants). Nigel Kneale has collaborated on the script as a consultant, which has been modernised by Richard Fell (executive produced, head of BBC Fictionlab), who was previously behind Kenneth Tynan: In Praise of Hardcore and The Alan Clark Diaries.

The exciting science fiction drama which concerns the arrival of a rocket ship from space, unleashing a terrible chain of events, is being presented as part of the BBC4 TV on Trial season. The season has been devised in order to prompt a debate about whether today's television is better or worse than it used to be. The Quatermass Experiment is the finale to a week of special broadcasts (starting Sunday 27th March) about some of the outstanding shows of the past six decades of BBC tv.

Janice Hadlow, Controller of BBC FOUR said: "I am thrilled that we're bringing Quatermass back to life. Playing as part of the finale to TV on Trial - BBC FOUR's quest to find the golden age of TV - it's wonderful to have one the first 'must-watch' TV experiences that inspired the water cooler chat of its day.
"I hope fans of the original series, as well as a new generation, will be gripped as Professor Bernard Quatermass races to save the world. And for the channel to broadcast the first live BBC television drama for over 20 years is an added treat."

BBC FOUR are likely to rescreen a recording of the live event at a later date. The live broadcast is being filmed at a secret location at a disused military base. We'll be providing further information in due course....

13th March 2005

page last updated: 29/03/05