Matthew Macfadyen, Michael Sheen to star in miniseries 'Quiz'

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Matthew Macfadyen, Sian Clifford and Michael Sheen have signed on to star in the fact-based miniseries, Quiz.

Set in 2001 and directed by Stephen Frears, the three-part drama is to air on ITV in Britain and AMC in the United States.

It will tell "the extraordinary and sensational story of how Charles and Diana Ingram attempted an 'audacious heist' on the quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? a press release said.

Macfadyen and Clifford will play the cheating couple, while Sheen will play the game show's host, Chris Tarrant.

The miniseries' ensemble will also include Mark Bonnar, Helen McCrory, Michael Jibson and Aisling Bea.

The program was written by playwright James Graham.

"I am delighted to be bringing James Graham's wonderful play Quiz to screen on ITV. It's testament to James' brilliant scripts that Stephen Frears is directing, which together with Left Bank Pictures producing, promises to deliver a very special drama. It's an extraordinary and thoroughly British story and is going to be a real treat for our audience," Polly Hill, ITV's head of drama, said in a statement Friday.