Rupert Penry Jones to star in The 39 Steps on BBC One

Rupert Penry Jones (Burn Up, Spooks) has been cast as Richard Hannay in a new BBC One adaptation of The 39 Steps, to air this Christmas.

Based on the classic novel by Scottish author John Buchan, and set in the build up to the First World War, The 39 Steps is a roller coaster action adventure, full of excitement, danger, fun and romance.

The one-off drama will be produced by Lynn Horsford (Boy A, To The Ends Of The Earth) with screenplay by Lizzie Mickery (The State Within, Messiah) and directed by James Hawes (Fanny Hill, Merlin).

Filming begins in September on location in Scotland.

Producer Lynn Horsford says: "With this adaptation we wanted to stay faithful to the spirit and period of the book, but asked the writer Lizzie to feel free to re-imagine it for a modern audience more familiar with James Bond and Jason Bourne. Buchan has crafted such a thrilling adventure that still stands the test of time. The jeopardy is real and I can guarantee an edge-of-your-seat chase movie, perfect for all the family to watch at Christmas."

June 1914, London. Richard Hannay, recently returned from Africa, is bored and restless until he meets Scudder, a man who claims to be a British spy. When Scudder is killed in Hannay's flat, Hannay finds himself accused of murder and caught up in a deadly conspiracy which not only threatens his life but the safety of the nation. Spurred on by this bizarre turn of events, Hannay flees London for Scotland hoping to uncover a German espionage ring.

As the police and the spies close in on him, he struggles to decode Scudder's secret notebook. Reluctantly he joins forces with a feisty suffragette, Victoria Sinclair. Victoria and Hannay don't hit it off, but they find themselves increasingly reliant on each other as they race to unmask a traitor and save Great Britain from invasion.