Helen Mirren will reprise her Emmy Award- winning role as tough-talking Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison in a new two-part episode of Prime Suspect for PBS's ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre.
"Countless fans have asked if Helen Mirren will do another Prime Suspect, said Masterpiece Theatre Executive Producer Rebecca Eaton. "Now, we can answer with a resounding 'yes'-and assure them that this new Prime Suspect will be worth the wait."
Filming begins in London next month for Prime Suspect 6, a Granada and WGBH Boston co-production in association with the CBC. In the new series, Tennison's determination to get justice for victims at all costs conflicts sharply with the politics of her new high-ranking position as overseer of all murder investigations.
During its 1992-97 run on PBS, the enormously popular Prime Suspect won the Emmy for Best Mini-Series three times, while its star twice took home the statue for Best Actress. "Mirren has brought off the most sustained example of great acting in the history of television," Esquire wrote.
said Andy Harries, Controller of Granada Drama."Prime Suspect has always been a cultural zeitgeist, and this new series is no exception, tackling contentious issues of the moment. Helen Mirren is one of our greatest stars and we can't wait to work with her again,"
Prime Suspect 6 will be produced by David Boulter (The Forsyte Saga 2), written by Peter Berry (The Luzhin Defense), and directed by Tom Hooper (Cold Feet, Daniel Deronda, Love in a Cold Climate). The Executive Producers are Rebecca Eaton for WGBH Boston and Andy Harries for Granada. ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre has been presented on PBS by WGBH for thirty years. Rebecca Eaton is Executive Producer. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Russell Baker is series host. The series is fully funded by ExxonMobil. Additional funding for Prime Suspect 6 is provided by PBS.
