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　　GreenWingandFreeAgentsstarStephenManganistoplaytheleadroleinBBC4'sadaptationofthelateDouglasAdamsDirkGently'sHolisticDetectiveAgency.
　　ManganwillbejoinedbyDarrenBoydashissidekickRichardMacDuffandColdFeetandFriendsactorHelenBaxendale,asMacDuff'sgirlfriendSusan.
　　AdaptedbytheBafta-winningwriterHowardOverman–whoisalsobehindMisfits,VexedandMerlin–DirkGently'sHolisticDetectiveAgencyfollowstheexploitsofAdams'schaoticcharacterasheuseshisunusualmethodstosolvecrimes.
　　Mangansaid:"I'vebeenafanofDouglasAdamseversincetheHitchhiker'sradioserieswhichIusedtorecordasachildandlistentooverandoveragaininmybedroom.It'ssuchathrilltonowbeplayingoneofhisbrilliantcharacters.
　　"Dirkisachaotic,anarchicforceofnaturewithatotallyuniquetakeontheworld.Heisdescribedas'lazy,untidy,dismissiveandunreliable'.I'veabsolutelynoideawhytheythoughtI'dberightfortherole."
　　TheDirkGentlybookshaveformedthebasisofaplayandaBBCRadio4seriesbuthaveneverbeforebeenfilmedforTV.
　　Adams'sagent,EdVictor,said:"ForalltheyearsIrepresentedthelate,greatDouglasAdams,themostsubstantialfrustrationforbothofuswasthatwecouldn'tgetfilmsmadeeitherofHitchhikerorDirk.
　　"Douglasoncesaid,memorably,that'gettingafilmmadeinHollywoodwasliketryingtocookasteakbyhavingabunchofpeoplecomeintotheroomandbreatheonit'.Well,wedideventuallygetafilmmadeinHollywoodofHitchhikerand,tragically,Douglasdidn'tlivetoseeit.NorwillheseethisadaptationofDirk–butit'sworthbearinginmindthatDouglasalwaysthoughtDirkwouldmakeabetterfilmthanHitchhikerandIfeelsurethatthisnewTVdramawithaterrificscriptbyHowardOvermanwillprovehispoint."
　　ShootingbeginsthisweekinBristolonthe60-minutedrama,whichisbeingmadebyITVStudiosinassociationwiththeWeldedTandemPictureCompany.
　　TheDirkGentlyproductionistobedirectedbyDamonThomas–whoalsodirectedBBC4dramaTheFirstMenintheMoon–andwillairearlynextyear.