Hugh Grant eager to star in BBC gay scandal drama

Actor Hugh Grant is reportedly eager to land a role in a new series from Queer as Folk creator Russel T Davies.

Davies, who created the iconic British TV series, as well as other queer show’s including Cucumber and Banana, was also the creative force behind Doctor Who for many years.

Now he’s working on a new series that focuses on a British political scandal in the 1970’s.

Hugh Grant is reportedly eager to play one of the leading roles in the three-part series, former UK Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe. A Very British Scandal will recount the Thorpe Affair.

In the 1960’s British politician Jeremy Thorpe was rumoured to be having a homosexual relationship with a younger man Norman Scott.

Scott tried to sell his story to newspapers but they wouldn’t publish his claims that he had been in a sexual relationship with the MP at a time when homosexuality was illegal. As Thorpe’s political star rose he was under constant threats from the man claiming to be his former lover.

In 1967 Thorpe became the leader of the Liberal party in the United Kingdom.

In the mid 1970’s Andrew Newton, an airline pilot attempted to shoot Scott but his gun jammed and Scott was able to get away. Scott claimed the attempt on his life was to silence him and Thorpe and his colleagues were accused of conspiring to hire the hit-man.

The scandal led to Thorpe resigning as party leader and a six week trial got underway in 1979.

If he lands the role, it won’t be the first time Grant’s played a politician. He delivered a memorable turn as the Prime Minister in Love Actually.  One of Hugh Grant’s very first film roles was in the gay drama Maurice based on the book by E.M Forster.