Green Wi□g and Free Agent□ s□ar Stephe□ □□□gan is□to pl□y the lead r□le in □BC4's adapt□t□□n of the late Dougla□□Adams □i□k Gently□9;s Ho□istic Detective Agency. Mangan w□ll be join□d by D□rren Boyd□as his si□ekick □i□hard MacDuff a□d Co□d Feet an□ Friends act□r Helen Baxendale, as Mac□u□□□;s g□□lfrien□ Su□an. Ada□ted □y □□e Bafta-winning wri□er Howa□d Over□□n – wh□□is a□so□behind Misfits, Vexed and Merlin – □□rk G□ntly's Hol□s□ic Dete□t□ve □gency□□ollo□s the □xploits of□□dam□'s□ch□o□ic chara□ter □s he uses his unusua□ methods to sol□e□c□imes. Mangan said: □quot;I□;ve b□□□ a fan□of D□uglas Adams ever since□the□□itc□hiker's rad□□ series whi□h□I used □o recor□ as □ □h□ld and □isten t□ over□and□o□er □gain in my bed□oom. It□#□□;s s□ch □ th□□ll□to□no□ be □layin□ one of his bri□li□nt c□ar□ct□r□.□ "Dir□ i□ □ □ha□tic, ana□□hi□ f□rce □f natu□□□with a t□□□lly unique take on th□□□orld. He□is described as 'lazy, u□ti□y□ dismi□sive□□□d □nr□liable'□□□&□39;ve abso□ut□ly□no i□ea □h□□□hey t□ought □□#39;d be righ□ f□□ the r□le.□qu□t; □he Dirk Gent□y books □ave formed t□e ba□is □f □ play a□d a BBC Ra□□o□4 serie□ bu□ have never before □een filmed □or□TV□ □🐞)Adams's agent□ Ed□Vi□tor□□said□□"□F□r □□l□t□e yea□s I re□□esented t□e late, gr□at Douglas A□am□, the most □ubstantia□ fru□tration f□r□both □f us□was □h□t we co□ldn't g□□ f□l□s made□□it□□□ of□Hit□hhi□er or Dirk. □□quot;Douglas on□e said, □emorably,□□hat &□39□get□in□ a film made in Hollywood was like trying□to □ook a steak by h□v□ng a bu□ch of p□ople□come int□ □he □oom an□ breathe on it&□□9;□ Wel□, □e did eventually g□t a □ilm made in Hol□ywo□d □f Hitchh□ke□ a□d, tragically, Douglas d□dn'□ live □o □□e it.□Nor will□he see□th□□ ada□tation of Di□□ – but □t□9;s worth □earing□in mind t□at□□oug□as al□ay□□th□ugh□ Di□k□would make a□better f□lm tha□□H□tchhiker and I feel sure that this new TV drama with a terrif□c script by Howa□d Ove□man □ill prove hi□ □oin□.&quo□□ Shoot□ng be□ins t□□s week in Bris□ol □n the 60□minute drama□□w□i□h is□being made by□ITV Studios in□association with the□W□lded□Tandem Pictur□□Company. □he Dirk Gently producti□□□is t□ be di□ected by Damon□Thoma□ – who □lso □irected BB□4 drama □he Firs□ Men i□ the M□on – and will air □arly next□year.