Actress Ruth Negga has been cast as legendary singer Shirley Bassey in a new BBC Two drama.
The BBC says that Shirley Bassey: A Very British Diva is set "against the backdrop of mixed-race Britain from the Thirties to the Sixties" and charts Bassey's journey from poverty to global stardom.
Commenting on her casting, Negga said: "I'm thrilled to be cast in the role of Shirley Bassey and it's an absolute honour to be playing her in such an intimate story of her life."
Joining Love/Hate star Negga in the drama are Lesley Sharp (The Shadow Line, Scott & Bailey, Afterlife) as Eliza Bassey, Shirley's mother; Charlie Creed-Miles (Five Days, Injustice, King Arthur) as Mike Sullivan, her manager; and Henry Lloyd-Hughes (The Inbetweeners, The Milibands) as Kenneth Hume, her future personal manager and husband.
Maxine Watson, Executive Producer, said: "Dame Shirley Bassey is iconic – she transcends age, race and class. The big voice and vocal style are unmistakable, but it took so much more than that to take her from Tiger Bay to world class headliner. Hers is a classic story of overcoming poverty through personal sacrifice and I'm thrilled that we have such a fantastic cast to bring this story to life."
Shirley Bassey: A Very British Diva will be broadcast in the autumn.
