Les Miserables viewers baffled by Dominic West’s northern accent as Jean Valjean in new BBC adaptation

LES Miserables viewers were left baffled by Dominic West's northern accent as Jean Valjean in tonight's new BBC adaptation.

The 49-year-old was born in Sheffield but it still came as a surprise to many viewers that he had chosen to use a Yorkshire accent to play the Frenchman in the six-part drama.

Having spent the first half of the episode in relative silence, as Jean was released from prison, Dominic started to talk, and there wasn't a hint of a French accent as some might have expected.

Taking to Twitter, one viewer wrote: "Why does Jean Valjean have a Northern accent? #LesMiserables".

Another added: "#BBCone #LesMiserables first time I've ever heard Dominic West do a Yorkshire accent, which is strange seeing as he's a Yorkshireman. He will always be #McNulty to me."

A third tweeted: "Jean Valjean with a northern accent - wasn’t expecting that. #LesMiserables" and a fourth agreed, writing: "Why the living fluff does Jean ValJean have a northern English accent #LesMiserables."

Meanwhile other viewers were having a hard time dealing with the fact the drama doesn't feature any of the songs made famous by the musical version of Les Miserables.

The star-studded adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel Les Miserables doesn’t include any of the show tunes from the musical, for which it is best known – and they were sorely missed.

Those watching the first part of the show tonight took to Twitter to complain, with many saying they were singing along anyway.

One person wrote: “Sorry @BBCOne but without the music and singing this isn't really #LesMisérables at all. In fact this adaptation is rather dull.”

A second commented: “Missing the singing in #LesMiserables so I might just blast SuBo doing I Dreamed a Dream over Fantine’s sad bit in a minute.”

And a third wrote: “Hands up who’s singing anyway #LesMiserables.”

While  a fourth couldn't resist joking: "Can you hear the people sing? No."

Others did however point out that it was original a novel and not a musical so was therefore more accurate.

The musical version of the story has been a triumph in the West End and on Broadway and was turned into a film version starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway 2012.

It features well-loved and classic songs such as I Dreamed a Dream and Do You Hear the People Sing?.

This series, which stars Lily Collins as Fantine, has been penned by veteran scriptwriter Andrew Davies, who recently adapted Leo Tolstoy's War And Peace for the BBC, and is best known for his adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

It also stars Dominic as prisoner Jean while David Oyelowo plays police inspector Javert, who is pursuing him.

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