Sparkhouse

Sparkhouse reverses the roles of a modern-day Heathcliff and Cathy
Written by Sally Wainwright (At Home With The Braithwaites)

Red Production Company has recently finished filming a major new drama inspired by Emily Bronte's classic love story, Wuthering Heights. Sparkhouse, an epic three part drama for BBC One, is set in modern day Yorkshire and has been given a contemporary twist: the roles of Cathy and Heathcliff are reversed.

Sparkhouse features Sarah Smart, Joe McFadden, Alun Armstrong, Celia Imrie, Nicholas Farrell, Siobhan Finneran and Richard Armitage in leading roles. Jane Tranter, controller of BBC drama commissioning explains "Wainwright has taken the power of the love story between Heathcliff and Cathy as the inspiration for the drama."

Carol Bolton (Sarah Smart - At Home With The Braithwaites) is feisty, passionate and reckless. Life has dealt her a raw deal. She lives in poverty-stricken Sparkhouse Farm with a drunken father Richard (Alun Armstrong - This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper), but she is determined to protect those closest to her - her younger sister and her childhood sweetheart, Andrew Lawton (Joe McFadden - The Crow Road). Andrew comes from an apparently secure middle-class background and is on his way to university, but his home life is equally fraught with unspoken tensions between his parents Kate (Celia Imrie - Victoria Wood, Hilary & Jackie) and Paul (Nicholas Farrell - The Jury, Bloody Sunday). One of their main problems is Carol. She is unsuitable daughter-in-law material in every way: mad, bad, dangerous to know and definitely from the wrong side of the tracks. But she wields a power over their son that they just cannot control.

When Carol's mother Sue (Siobhan Finneran) walks out, Carol takes on the care of her little sister and the farm, with no one to help except farm-hand John (Richard Armitage - This Year's Love).

Kate and Paul plot and scheme, finally using knowledge of a terrible secret to drive a wedge between Carol and Andrew. When he meets Becky (Camilla Power - Perfect Strangers), a bright, wide-eyed student, it appears that their plans have succeeded. Except that Andrew still loves Carol. And when he sees her again there's no denying the intensity of their feelings and no escaping the extraordinary consequences of their love for each other.

Gareth Neame, Head of Drama Independent Commissions says "We are absolutely delighted to be working with Sally Wainwright on BBC One on this sweeping passionate love story set in the Yorkshire Dales. The star-crossed romance between Sally's protagonists is as invigorating as it is emotional."

Sally Wainwright says: "I liked the idea of a young feisty woman at odds with the world. The violent nature of her character and the landscape reminded me of Heathcliff, and so the connection with Wuthering Heights came into play."

Sparkhouse is directed by Robin Sheppard (At Home With The Braithwaites, Lucky Jim) and produced by Derek Wax (Flesh and Blood). Executive producers are Nicola Shindler (RED Production Company) and Mike Dormer (BBC).