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Press Releases
Ken Stott to play Tony Hancock in new Â鶹Éç Four drama
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Ken Stott (Rebus, Messiah) is to play troubled comic genius Tony Hancock
in a new Â鶹Éç Four drama entitled Hancock & Joan.
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Also starring Maxine Peake (Cinderella, Shameless) as Joan, this one-off
poignant drama charts the final year of Hancock's life and the love
affair with his best friend's wife, his battle with drink and his final
fateful series in Australia.
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Only months after her marriage to Dad's Army favourite John Le Mesurier,
Joan Le Mesurier fell in love with his best friend, the godfather of
British sitcom, Tony Hancock.
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Tony was fresh out of rehab and desperate to resurrect his career with
the offer of a new series in Australia.
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John stood by as Joan and Tony
embarked on an obsessive and passionate love affair.
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Though clearly
besotted with Joan, Tony was struggling with drink and violent
depression.
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After months of turmoil, Joan gave him a final ultimatum: If he makes a
go of Australia, if he keeps off the booze for a year, she will leave
John and marry him.
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Tony left for Australia determined to win Joan over.
But tragically he never returned.
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Based on Joan Le Mesurier's autobiography Lady Don't Fall Backwards and
Edward Joffe's Hancock's Last Stand, this moving film tells the story
of Hancock and Joan's love affair and its tragic end.
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Ben Stephenson, Â鶹Éç Head of Drama Commissioning, says: "It's a sign of
the calibre of Ric Cottan's funny, moving, and powerful script that it
has attracted Ken Stott and Maxine Peake, who we're delighted to welcome
to Â鶹Éç Four.
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"Hancock remains a much-loved national treasure and this is
an extraordinary insight into the mind of a comic genius."
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Hancock & Joan is being made for Â鶹Éç Northern Ireland by World
Productions.
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It has been written by Richard Cottan, directed by Richard
Laxton and produced by Simon Heath.
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Patrick Spence is Executive Producer
for the Â鶹Éç.
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Hancock & Joan is a 1 x 90-minute and will be shown in spring 2008 on Â鶹Éç Four.
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The drama follows in the footsteps of acclaimed Â鶹Éç Four dramas Kenneth
Williams: Fantabulosa!, Fear Of Fanny and the recent, raucous Fanny
Hill.
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EF/RI
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