Coogan to star as diarist

Steve Coogan is to star as Samuel Pepys in a BBC drama about the 17th century diarist.

The film, scripted by Drop the Dead Donkey writer Guy Jenkin, will concentrate on Peyps's tangled love life

Coogan told the Daily Mirror: "It is a bit of a departure for me but the script was brilliant and I'm looking forward to filming it in the summer.

"It is different to the shows I've made recently but it does contain a lot of humour Actually, I think people will find it amusing - it's very funny."

The film will form part of a BBC2 season about famous literary figures.

Published: 10 Feb 2003