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Press Releases
Margaret – Lindsay Duncan to play the Iron Lady in major new TV drama
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- The ´óÏó´«Ã½ and Great Meadow Productions to follow their eagerly-awaited comedy on the young Mrs Thatcher with new film tracking her downfall
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The ´óÏó´«Ã½ and Great Meadow Productions have announced the leading lady and director attached to their major television drama examining the downfall of Margaret Thatcher.
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Margaret, which the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is part-funding, is set to star Lindsay Duncan as the Iron Lady in the film for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.
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Also attached is director James Kent, who directed the acclaimed biopic of Elizabeth David for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Four.
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Great Meadow confirmed that ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide, which owns the distribution rights, will be talking to broadcasters at the MIPTV market in order to secure further finance or a potential co-production deal for the drama, which is expected to have widespread international appeal.
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Multi-BAFTA nominated actress Lindsay Duncan (GBH, Shooting The Past, Perfect Strangers) recently appeared as Servilia in the HBO/´óÏó´«Ã½ Two series Rome.
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The drama Margaret focuses on 1990 – the turbulent year of her fall from power when she resigned as Prime Minister.
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Hot on the heels of Great Meadow Productions' eagerly anticipated ´óÏó´«Ã½ Four drama Margaret Thatcher – The Long Walk To Finchley, already garnering critical acclaim ahead of its transmission later this year, Margaret is a very different take on the iconic figure.
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Great Meadow Productions' co-founder Robert Cooper explains: "Whilst The Long Walk To Finchley puts Margaret Thatcher's character traits to comedic effect as she puts her first, youthful foot on the ladder to power, Margaret is a much darker examination of the final days of Margaret Thatcher's reign and a compelling look into what 11 years of power did to her."
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Fellow director of Great Meadow Productions Kate Triggs adds: "Great Meadow is delighted to have attracted such a remarkable creative team to Margaret.
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"We are excited that Lindsay Duncan is keen to bring her extraordinary talent to this major role and that we have such a perceptive and sensitive director in James Kent.
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"It is also a true pleasure to work with Rick Cottan, whose brilliant script confirms his place as one of the finest writers in television today."
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Robert Cooper concludes: "Love her or loathe her, we all live in Margaret Thatcher's Britain. Yet, despite her 11 years at the top, very few of us really know the woman who so utterly changed our lives.
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"Rick Cottan has created a modern dramatic tragedy of epic scale in which the woman's strengths and fatal flaws can be seen more clearly than ever before – where the very aspects of her character that helped her secure power are seen to be the ones that ensured her downfall."
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Great Meadow Productions' other recent credits include the award-winning Bradford Riots for Channel 4, Margaret Thatcher – The Long Walk to Finchley for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Four and the popular series of Messiah for ´óÏó´«Ã½ One.
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Margaret is written by Richard Cottan (Love Again, Hancock & Joan), directed by James Kent (The Genius Of Mozart, Elizabeth David: A Life In Recipes). The executive producers are Robert Cooper and Kate Triggs for Great Meadow Productions.
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Filming is set to begin in summer 2008.
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PPR
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