MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that actor James Nesbitt will play the lead in the series Jekyll which will air on BBC One next year.

A modern twist has been taken on the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story of scientific misadventure. Producers Elaine Cameron and Jeffrey Taylor say, "The series is a remarkable conspiracy thriller - more Spooks than Robert Louis Stevenson."

Nesbitt says, "Jekyll is modern, contemporary and cutting-edge – I am excited about exploring the comedy and darkness in both characters."

The drama series will start filming next September. It is 2006 and there's a new Dr Jekyll, with an old problem - Mr Hyde. But they have a deal, a body share, and an impossible life is somehow lived. What Hyde doesn't know is that Jekyll is married. There's a wife and two children he'll do anything to protect from his dark side. With all the resources of modern technology, and the best surveillance hardware, he's determined to keep his dark side in line.

Executive producer Beryl Vertue says, "The scripts are brilliant – scary, funny, and full of the unexpected. We are delighted about James Nesbitt, one of the few genuine stars who has the range needed to play this extraordinary role."