Borgen meets House of Cards: Lord Michael Dobbs teams up with creator of Danish political drama for 'major new project'
The writer behind one of British television's best loved dramas, House of Cards, has revealed he is working on a 'major project' with the creator of Danish political drama Borgen.
Author Michael Dobbs, whose political thriller was adapted into a BBC television series and recently an American version starring Kevin Spacey, said the collaboration is expected to hit BBC screens in 2014.
The Conservative peer said the project had 'a pretty good pedigree' and would star a 'strong female lead', the Telegraph reports.
House Of Cards, starring Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, was one of British television's best loved dramas. Now author Lord Michael Dobbs has revealed he is working on a 'major project' with the creator of Danish political drama Borgen
Author Michael Dobbs, whose political thriller was adapted into a BBC television series and recently an American version starring Kevin Spacey, said the collaboration is expected to hit BBC screens in 2014
Dramatised by the BBC in 1990, Dobbs' House of Cards novel recently inspired a US remake starring Kevin Spacey. The original followed a conniving chief whip, played by Ian Richardson, who uses duplicity and guile to have himself elevated to the post of Conservative prime minister.
Borgen, created by Adam Price, features a politician who becomes Denmark's first female prime minister.
Lord Dobbs, who was made a life peer in 2010, confirmed to The World This Weekend on Radio 4 that he had 'got together' with Mr Price to work.
Borgen, created by Adam Price, features a politician who becomes Denmark's first female prime minister
Michael Dobbs said the new show will tell the tale of a political widow
He told the Daily Telegraph discussions first started with Price a year ago. He said while he did not want to go too far in revealing the plot, he did say it will tell the tale of a political widow.
He told the paper: 'She was married to a politician who dies, and it is her story of trying to follow in his footsteps.
'She doesn't enter politics willingly; she has been dropped into a situation that is a personal tragedy.
He also told the Observer he would be interested in telling the real story of Denis Thatcher.
He said of Margaret Thatcher's late husband: 'I tell you what I would love to do – the real story of Denis Thatcher. What a brilliant, brilliant character to base a play on.
'A man without whom Maggie could not have survived and done as well as she did, but who really has been misunderstood, and is wonderfully strong.
'I'd love to do that.'