There are lots of reasons for Steven Moffat fans to be cheerful right now – with two big shows from the former Doctor Who showrunner set to arrive on our screens before 2022 is out.
Later in the year, his mysterious David Tennant-starring thriller Inside Man will air on BBC One, but first up is his brand new adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger’s best-selling novel The Time Traveler’s Wife for HBO.
Moffat has long claimed to be a huge fan of the book, and speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party this week he said that he hopes he’s found a way to translate that passion to the small screen.
“I never thought I’d get a shot at doing the actual Time Traveler’s Wife,” he explained. “But as anyone who’s watched Doctor Who knows, I love that book.
“I’ve referenced it in a number of ways throughout, including my favourite bit – that Peter Capaldi’s Doctor keeps his spare TARDIS key inside a copy of the Time Traveller’s Wife.
“So I’m thrilled to be doing that. Just thrilled.”
And he added: “I hope we’ve found a way to make it work as a TV show. It’s a hard one to do. Oh, God, I hope people like it. I mean, I love the book, so I hope my love translates onto the screen.”
The novel was previously adapted into a 2009 film starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana, which opened to mixed critical reviews but performed well at the box office.
In Moffat’s version, the lead roles are played by Rose Leslie and Theo James, while the supporting cast includes a raft of other impressive names, such as Michael Park, Jaime Ray Newman and Kate Siegel.
Moffat previously revealed that although the two shows share a common thread – in that they’re both concerned with time travel – the new series had little connection to his work on Doctor Who.
The Time Traveller’s Wife will air on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK and on HBO Max in the US in May 2022. You can order the book on Amazon.
See more photos from the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 5th April– subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
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