Fantasy writer Neil Gaiman has been talking about the forthcoming radio adaptation of urban fantasy Neverwhere.

He tells of his disappointment with the TV version, which was co-created by him and Lenny Henry and aired on BBC2 in 1996, and how excited he is about this new six-parter, which starts on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday 16th March and continues on BBC Radio 4 Extra from 18th to 22nd March.

The stellar radio cast includes James McAvoy as lead character Richard Mayhew, Christopher Lee as the Earl of Earl's Court, Natalie Dormer as Door, Bernard Cribbins as Old Bailey, Benedict Cumberbatch as Islington, Sophie Okonedo as Hunter, David Harewood as the Marquis de Carabas, and Anthony Head as Mr Croup.

A trailer and pictures have also been released as part of the promotion.




The adaptation will be available to listen to worldwide on the BBC iPlayer.

The BBC's radio adaptation of the urban fantasy TV serial Neverwhere - created by Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry - will start airing next month, it has been announced.

It was shown as a six-part series on BBC2 in 1996, starring - among others - Peter Capaldi, Hywel Bennett, Paterson Joseph, Tamsin Greig, and Earl Cameron, and brought out as a tie-in novel by Gaiman. Set in the magical world of "London Below" that co-exists with the more familiar city ("London Above"), it subsequently appeared as a comic-book series and has been staged a number of times too.

Now it has been turned into a six-part series for radio - adapted by Dirk Maggs, who has also co-directed it with producer Heather Larmour - and will begin on Radio 4 on Saturday 16th March with an hour-long instalment, to be followed by five half-hour episodes on the digital station Radio 4 Extra from Monday 18th March, according to Radio Times.

The latest adaptation stars James McAvoy in the lead role of Richard Mayhew, with Christopher Lee as the Earl of Earl's Court, Natalie Dormer as Door, David Harewood as the Marquis de Carabas, Sophie Okonedo as Hunter, Benedict Cumberbatch as The Angel Islington, Anthony Head as Mr Croup, David Schofield as Mr Vandemar, Bernard Cribbins as Old Bailey, Romola Garai as Jessica, Andrew Sachs as Tooley, George Harris as Abbot, Don Gilet as Fulingous, Ruislip, and Blackfriar, Abdul Salis as Sable, Sump, Clarence, and Homeless Man, Paul Chequer as Gary and Guard 2, Lucy Cohu as Lamia, Yasmin Paige as Anaesthesia, Tenant 2, and Match Girl, Johnny Vegas as Lord Ratspeaker, and Karen Archer as Sylvia, Old Woman, Dream Hawker, and Mother.

Last November, Gaiman commented: