The Casual Vacancy: What we know so far about JK Rowling’s TV series

What’s the story then?

The novel, on which the TV series is based, is set in Pagford, which looks like an English idyll in the West Country.

With a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, Pagford seems every inch the perfect place to live, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

The rich are at war with the poor, teenagers are at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils… you get the picture.

So Pagford is not what it first seems.

Who’s been cast so far?

Michael Gambon, Keeley Hawes and Rory Kinnear have already signed on the dotted line.

BAFTA Award-winning Gambon (Quirke, The Singing Detective) is set to play Howard Mollison, owner of the Pagford delicatessen, with Julia McKenzie (Notes On A Scandal, Shirley Valentine) starring as his wife Shirley.

Howard’s son Miles is being played by Rufus Jones (Bill, W1A) with his wife Samantha Mollison will be brought to life by Keeley Hawes (Line Of Duty, Ashes To Ashes).

Rory Kinnear (Skyfall, Penny Dreadful), who recently won the Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role as Iago in Nicholas Hytner’s production of Othello at the National Theatre, is to play Barry Fairbrother, Keeley Forsyth (Coronation Street, Emmerdale) has been cast as Terri Weedon with newcomer Abigail Lawrie her daughter Krystal Weedon.

Filming starts on the three one-hour series on July 7 in south west England.

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What does JK think?

No, not the one from Jamiroquai silly, the author, Joanne Rowling.

She’s working closely with the creative team on the production which is hardly surprising as her own production company, Bronte Film and Television, is making the miniseries.

She says: “I’m thrilled that the BBC has commissioned The Casual Vacancy.

“I always felt that, if it were to be adapted, this novel was best suited to television and I think the BBC is the perfect home.”

Will it be watched?

Of course!

The novel sold more than six million copies since its publication in 2012.

The miniseries is a co-production, shared between the BBC and HBO.

So we’re expecting good things from JK – well, she did go to school in Chepstow you know.

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