GreenWingandFreeAgentsstarStephenManganistoplaytheleadroleinBBC4'sadaptationofthelateDouglasAdamsDirkGently'sHolisticDetectiveAgencyeee　　ManganwillbejoinedbyDarrenBoydashissidekickRichardMacDuffandColdFeetandFriendsactorHelenBaxendale,asMacDuff'sgirlfriendSusan.　　AdaptedbytheBafta-winningwriterHowardOverman–whoisalsobehindMisfits,VexedandMerlin–DirkGently'sHolisticDetectiveAgencyfollowstheexploitsofAdams'schaoticcharacterasheuseshisunusualmethodstosolvecrimes.　　Mangansaid:"I'vebeenafanofDouglasAdamseversincetheHitchhiker'sradioserieswhichIusedtorecordasachildandlistentooverandoveragaininmybedroom.It'ssuchathrilltonowbeplayingoneofhisbrilliantcharacters.　　"Dirkisachaotic,anarchicforceofnaturewithatotallyuniquetakeontheworld.Heisdescribedas'lazy,untidy,dismissiveandunreliable'.I'veabsolutelynoideawhytheythoughtI'dberightfortherole."　　TheDirkGentlybookshaveformedthebasisofaplayandaBBCRadio4seriesbuthaveneverbeforebeenfilmedforTV.　　Adams'sagent,EdVictor,said:"ForalltheyearsIrepresentedthelate,greatDouglasAdams,themostsubstantialfrustrationforbothofuswasthatwecouldn'tgetfilmsmadeeitherofHitchhikerorDirk.　　"Douglasoncesaid,memorably,that'gettingafilmmadeinHollywoodwasliketryingtocookasteakbyhavingabunchofpeoplecomeintotheroomandbreatheonit'.Well,wedideventuallygetafilmmadeinHollywoodofHitchhikerand,tragically,Douglasdidn'tlivetoseeit.NorwillheseethisadaptationofDirk–butit'sworthbearinginmindthatDouglasalwaysthoughtDirkwouldmakeabetterfilmthanHitchhikerandIfeelsurethatthisnewTVdramawithaterrificscriptbyHowardOvermanwillprovehispoint."　　ShootingbeginsthisweekinBristolonthe60-minutedrama,whichisbeingmadebyITVStudiosinassociationwiththeWeldedTandemPictureCompany.　　TheDirkGentlyproductionistobedirectedbyDamonThomas–whoalsodirectedBBC4dramaTheFirstMenintheMoon–andwillairearlynextyear.