Hugh Grant to star in BBC miniseries 'A Very English Scandal'

May 22 (UPI) -- Hugh Grant is set to star in the BBC's three-part adaptation of John Preston's bestselling book A Very English Scandal.

This marks the first time Grant will appear in a television drama since the early 1990s. He will play Jeremy Thorpe, a disgraced member of Parliament, who in 1979 was tried but acquitted of conspiring to murder his ex-lover Norman Scott, a press release from the network explained.

The miniseries was written by Doctor Who scribe Russell T. Davies and will be directed by Stephen Frears.

"Hugh is one of our most iconic British actors -- sharp, witty, deeply human and nuanced -- and to have him play one of the most controversial figures of British politics is utterly thrilling. With Russell T. Davies writing and Stephen Frears directing, A Very English Scandal unites the highest level of talent to bring this extraordinary true story to life," executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said in a statement Monday.

"Hugh Grant is an extraordinary actor and a worldwide star. I'm delighted that he is joining the BBC One family and I can't wait to see how he applies his unique talent bringing to life this mercurial role," added Piers Wenger, controller of BBC Drama.

Grant's film credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sense & Sensibility, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones's Diary, About A Boy and Florence Foster Jenkins.