‘Downton’ actress will star in new BBC adaptation of ‘The Pursuit of Love’

Lily James is leading the cast of the BBC’s The Pursuit of Love.

The Downton Abbey star is best known for her role as Lady Rose in ITV’s period drama series.

Since leaving the show, the 31-year-old actress has gone on to appear in Darkest Hour, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

BBC One’s upcoming adaptation of The Pursuit of Love has been written by English actress and screenwriter Emily Mortimer (Hugo, Mary Poppins Returns).

Nancy Mitford’s classic 1945 novel is the first in her comedic trilogy of books about an upper-class English family between the First and Second World Wars.

Deadline summarises the story: “The Pursuit of Love follows the travails of the Radlett family, focusing on Linda, the most beautiful and wayward Radlett daughter, who falls first for a stuffy Tory politician, then an ardent Communist, and finally a French duke named Fabrice, and her cousin Fanny Logan.

“Consumed by a desire for love and marriage, the two women are on the hunt for the ideal lover. Their friendship will be put to the test as Fanny settles for a steady life and Linda decides to follow her heart, to increasingly wild and outrageous places.”

Lily James will be playing the beautiful and highly-strung Linda.

The Pursuit of Love was originally due to begin filming in Bristol, south-west England this spring.

However, filming was halted on all UK drama productions due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the three-part mini-series will become one of the first big-budget TV dramas to resume shooting in England later this month.

There’s still no confirmation on when the likes of Call the Midwife and Peaky Blinders will start filming again.

Nancy Mitford followed The Pursuit of Love with two sequels, Love In A Cold Climate and Don’t Tell Alfred.

Love in a Cold Climate was previously adapted by the BBC in 2001, starring Rosamund Pike and Celia Imrie, and with Judi Dench in 1980.

Lily James did not reprise her role as Lady Rose in the hit Downton Abbey movie last year.

Luckily, she’s rumoured to be returning in the second movie, which is expected to begin filming in 2021.

Every episode of Downton Abbey is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.