Martin Freeman Transforms for BBC’s New Dickens Adaptation

Martin Freeman and Jim Broadbent star in BBC's 'The Bride’s Chamber,' a new Dickens adaptation directed by Mark Gatiss.

October 5, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — London, United Kingdom — Martin Freeman is set to take on a new role in a BBC production that brings a Charles Dickens story to life. The actor will appear alongside Jim Broadbent in an adaptation titled ‘The Bride’s Chamber,’ which is part of the network’s annual Ghost Story For Christmas series.

The project, adapted by Sherlock writer Mark Gatiss, follows a vengeful suitor who manipulates a young woman into marriage to gain access to her wealth, only for his dark ambitions to lead to a haunting consequence. Gatiss described the tale as a rare and unusual Dickens work, co-written with Wilkie Collins, and called it a ‘weird and nasty little treasure.’ He expressed excitement at bringing the story to BBC Two for the holiday season.

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BBC Arts commissioning editor Mark Bell emphasized the popularity of the Ghost Story For Christmas series, calling it a staple of festive television. This year’s offering will be accompanied by additional Dickens-themed programming, including a documentary exploring the author’s inspiration from Victorian London and a four-part adaptation of A Tale Of Two Cities starring Kit Harington. Filming took place at Ingatestone Hall in Essex, with a cast including Adrian Scarborough, Joe Armstrong, India Fowler, and Lewis Shepherd. The series will air on BBC Two this winter.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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