DB7

Bleasdale pens BBC war drama

* Published: 16 July 2008 18:15
* Author: Katherine Rushton

Alan Bleasdale is to return to writing for the BBC with an Anglo-German co-production about the sinking of a British ship by a German U-boat during the Second World War.

BBC2's 2 x 90-minute Laconia is Bleasdale's fictionalised account of how U-156 mounted a rescue operation after discovering the British RMS Laconia, which it had just torpedoed, was carrying civilians and Italian prisoners of war.

The U-boat crew crowded more than 200 survivors onto the roof of the submarine and draped Red Cross flags over its gun decks to appeal for rescue. But a US bomber assumed it was a trick and destroyed both the U-boat and many of the Laconia's survivors.

"This is an astonishing tale of bravery, humanity, warmth and near madness in the face of fascism and the cruelty of war," Bleasdale said.

Bleasdale is best known for his 1980s BBC2 drama Boys from the Blackstuff. His last commission for the BBC was First World War drama The Monocled Mutineer in 1986.

Laconia is being made by Talkback Thames and German producer Teamworx for BBC Wales. It was commissioned by BBC Fiction controller Jane Tranter and BBC2 controller Roly Keating. BBC Wales head of drama Julie Gardner will executive produce, with Talkback head of drama Johnathan Young and Teamworx exec Nico Hoffman.

Laconia will be shot in Malta and Germany starting this autumn and is due to TX next year.