British politicians take to TV

Press, 7 February 1986, Page 15

British politicians take to TV

By

Gillian Wainwright

in London Two top British politicians are about to get involved in television drama serials. The present Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, is the cowriter of a seven-hour thriller serial and Lord Wilson, who, as Harold Wilson, was a former Prime Minister, is to appear in a new Fleet Street series. The Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, is the co-

writer of a novel which is being made into a drama serial by Granada TV and the French organisation Antenne 2 for the I.T.V. network next year. It is called “War Without Frontiers.” The story is set in Britain, France, Belgium and Italy. Filming begins in June. The story is about an attempt by an urban terrorist organisation to prevent a proposed merger of two car manufacturers — one Italian and the other British.

The novel has been adapted for television by Don Shaw who says: "It is a thriller about terrorism in Europe which has a fair degree of relevance to what is happening in Europe today.” Don Shaw’s best known work for television was “The Citadel” for the 8.8. C. Lord Wilson will be in Anglia Television’s sixpart series about the battle for control of a

prestigious Fleet Street newspaper. The series is called “Inside Story” and it has been written by a former industrial journalist, Peter Ransley. Lord Wilson will be seen at a press awards dinner making a presentation to a journalist for her outstanding work as a war reporter in the Middle East Francesca Annis plays the part of the brilliant young journalist Roy Marsden plays a

millionaire industrialist who wants to gain influence in the media by a take-over bid for the paper. Shooting starts this month at locations In Fleet Street Westminster and Norwich where the headquarters of the Eastern Counties Bus Company are being transformed into the paper’s editorial offices. Harry Andrews also stars as Lord Glenross, the paper’s owner. Alan MacNaughton plays the managing director.