Great Expectations cast, release date and filming locations – all about the BBC1 drama
THE highly anticipated BBC adaptation of Great Expectations is finally landing on the box.
Here is everything you need to know from the cast, release date, and filming locations.
Who stars in Great Expectations?
Olivia Colman
Actress Olivia Colman takes on the lead role of Miss Havisham.
In 2018, Colman won an Oscar for portraying Queen Anne in the film The Favourite.
She’s also appeared in Beautiful People, Green Wing, Fleabag, Twenty Twelve, and Broadchurch.
Fionn Whitehead
Fionn Whitehead plays Pip in the BBC1 drama.
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He's had lead roles in both the movie Dunkirk and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
Whitehead has also had roles in the TV series Him, Voyagers and The Children Act.
Tom Sweet
Actor Tom Sweet plays escaped convict Magwitch.
Sweet played Franklin Scrooge in the 2019 adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
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He’s also appeared in The Salisbury Poisonings, This is England, Whitechapel, The Fall Of Troy and Fortitude.
Also in the cast are:
- Ashley Thomas
- Shalom Brune-Franklin
- Hayley Squires
- Owen McDonnell
- Matt Berry
- Trystan Gravelle
- Rudi Dharmalingam
Where was Great Expectations filmed?
Shropshire
Great Expectations is set in Kent, but most of the filming took place in Shropshire in May 2022.
Props were added to the street in Shrewsbury with a horse and carriage.
St Mary's Water Lane
Some scenes have been filmed at the top of St Mary's Water Lane.
This is also where some of the 1984 film A Christmas Carol was filmed.
What is Great Expectations about and is it based on a book?
Great Expectations is a famous novel written by Charles Dickens.
The story tells the tale of an Orphan named Pip who lives with his cruel sister Mrs Joe Gargery and her blacksmith husband Joe.
One evening Pip meets escaped convict Magwitch who scares Pip into stealing food for him.
The following day the convict is captured but takes the blame for the theft.
A few years later Pip goes to visit Miss Havisham and her adopted daughter Estella at Satis House.
Miss Havisham was left at the alter 20 years ago and has been raising Estella to break men's hearts as revenge.
Pip falls in love with Estella but discovers he has a wealthy benefactor and he moves to London to become a gentleman.
Estella ends up marrying another man but the tale explores themes of regret, forgiveness, and redemption.
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When is Great Expectations on BBC1?
Great Expectations kicks off on BBC1 on Sunday, March 26 at 9 pm.
All episodes will become available to watch on BBC iPlayer once they have aired.