BBC announces star studded cast for new drama Hercule
The BBC has officially unveiled a star-studded ensemble cast to join lead actor Edward Bluemel in Hercule, the new drama chronicling the early life and rise of Agatha Christie’s iconic sleuth.
The BBC has officially unveiled a star-studded ensemble cast to join lead actor Edward Bluemel in Hercule, an upcoming six-part origin series chronicling the early life and rise of Agatha Christie’s iconic sleuth Hercule Poirot.
The Title: Hercule, a six-part drama exploring Poirot’s formative years between the world wars.
The Lead: Edward Bluemel stars as the titular legendary Belgian detective.
The Ensemble: Newly announced cast members include Jack Gleeson, Tamsin Greig, James Nesbitt, James D’Arcy, and Mawaan Rizwan.
Production & Release: Filming begins soon in Liverpool; scheduled to premiere in 2027 on BBC One/iPlayer in the UK and BritBox in North America.
Star-Studded Ensemble Announced for BBC’s New Poirot Origin Drama ‘Hercule’
Agatha Christie’s most celebrated detective is getting the origin treatment, and the BBC has assembled a heavyweight line-up of screen talent to bring the story to life.
The broadcaster has revealed the supporting cast for Hercule, a fresh six-part adaptation produced by Mammoth Screen alongside Agatha Christie Limited. Joining the previously announced Edward Bluemel—who takes on the title role—is a stacked cast of British and international stars:
Henry Ashton (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder)
James D’Arcy (Oppenheimer, Constellations)
Calvin Demba (Supacell, Life)
Phil Dunning (Smoggie Queens, Am I Being Unreasonable?)
Jack Gleeson (House of Guinness, In the Land of the Saints and Sinners)
Tamsin Greig (Riot Women, Friday Night Dinner)
James Nesbitt (Cold Feet, Run Away)
Guy Remmers (The Buccaneers, Lessons)
Rebecca Rittenhouse (His & Hers, Maggie)
Mawaan Rizwan (Juice, The Split Up)
Edward Bluemel leads the upcoming Hercule. Source: Jeff Spicer / Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
Uncovering the Young Detective
Rather than stepping into the middle of Poirot’s famed career, Hercule offers an intimate character study exploring the man behind the little grey cells—and how he became the world’s premier detective. Frame-set as an epic portrait of interwar Britain, the drama centers around three of Christie’s early stories while introducing audience favorites to his early companions, allies, and a formidable nemesis.
Filming for the series is slated to kick off soon, with production primarily anchored in Liverpool.
Behind the Camera
Writer Benji Walters (Code of Silence, The Leopard, Obsession) adapted the scripts and serves as executive producer. Directorial duties are divided across three blocks:
Block 1 (Eps 1–2): Directed by Jonny Campbell (Am I Being Unreasonable?, In The Flesh), who also executive produces.
Block 2: Directed by Chanya Button (Code of Silence, Doctor Who).
Block 3: Directed by Alrick Riley (Bridgerton, How to Get Away with Murder).
Charlie Palmer (A Woman Of Substance, Extraordinary) serves as series producer. Executive producers also include James Prichard for Agatha Christie Limited; Rebecca Durbin and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen; Nick Lambon for the BBC; and Robert Schildhouse, Jon Farrar, and Stephen Nye for BritBox.
Where and When to Watch
With Agatha Christie’s Poirot novels having surpassed 750 million copies sold worldwide, expectations are high for this fresh take on the century-old character.
Hercule (6 x 60’) is co-commissioned for BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK, alongside BritBox in North America, with a planned premiere window in 2027. Global distribution is handled by Fifth Season. In the meantime, classic Agatha Christie adaptations remain available to stream on BBC iPlayer and BritBox.