Hooray! After years as the devilishly handsome leading man in some of our favourite rom-coms, Hugh Grant is making a triumphant return to the small screen for a brand new BBC drama, A Very English Scandal.
The 57-year old actor made his name in films including Bridget Jones' Diary, Four Weddings And A Funeral, and Notting Hill, as the quintessentially British, charming love interest.
But for this new role, Hugh will be casting off his trademark cheeky chappy character, and will be embracing a darker role, as he plays controversial MP Jeremy Thorpe in A Very British Scandal.
The new drama series is adapted from the book of the same name, and the true story. It follows MP Thorpe as he faces trial for conspiracy and incitement to murder, after his alleged attempt to kill his ex-lover Norman Scott, who threatened to expose their affair.
Norman Scott, a formal male model, will be played by Ben Whishaw. The project is also being directed by Stephen Frears.
The story was a real-life scandal that gripped the nation back in the 60s and 70s, and one that eventually ended the career of Jeremy Thorpe. Doctor Who writer Russell T Davis is penning the script for the show, and admitted that the story has long been something Hugh Grant has been interested in.
He told RadioTimes.com, "Hugh won't mind me putting words in his mouth, I think both Stephen and Hugh have genuinely been fascinated by Jeremy Thorpe for a long long time,
"It was a project they were dying to do. So it's very exciting - and Ben Whishaw as well. It's just a dream casting. It's so exciting, I can't begin to tell you. It's very, very exciting."
Filming has already begun on the series, and as such, exciting new pictures of Hugh in character have also been released. And he looks markedly different to cheeky Daniel Cleaver...
The picture shows Hugh's character looking fraught with worry, decked out in a traditional three-piece suit.
And a second-released picture also show's Whishaw's character Norman Scott, also looking rather concerned outside the walls of Parliament.
The start date for the BBC period drama hasn't yet been announced, but it looks set to be our new TV obsession.
Will you be tuning in?
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