A Dickens of a Christmas kicks off before the author's bicentenary

The BBC is going Charles Dickens crazy before his bicentenary in February.

The first of its adaptations are Great Expectations on December 27 and parody The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff on December 19.

Tim Oglethorpe and Nicole Lampert go behind the scenes.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
BBC1 Tuesday, December 27, Wednesday, December 28 and Thursday, December 29 at 9pm.
THE PROGRAMME: Three-part adaptation by Sarah Phelps of the novel about the life of orphan Pip.

THE STARS: Douglas Booth — Boy George in the BBC film Worried About The Boy — plays orphan Pip, from his teenage years onwards.

X Files star Gillian Anderson is Miss Haversham, Ray Winstone plays Magwitch and David Suchet is the secretive lawyer Jaggers.

THE COST: An estimated £3.75 million.

THE STORY: Pip is brought up by his domineering sister Mrs Joe (Claire Rushbrook) and her blacksmith husband Joe Gargery (Shaun Dooley).

His kindness towards escaped convict Magwitch will have major consequences.
Seeking company for her adopted daughter Estella, Miss Haversham requests Pip visit her fading mansion, Satis.