War and Peace writer wants to adapt Les Miserables for TV

But Andrew Davies, who wrote the adaptation, has said he's keen to be back on BBC1 with a music-free version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.

“It’s another big epic story and I think people will be surprised that there is so much more to it than they maybe realise,” he told The Telegraph.

Not a fan of the song-filled film or stage versions, Davies said his adaptation would feature no singing. “I hated, particularly, the film of the musical because the singing was so appalling,” he said. “And I did not really find myself bewitched by the stage musical, but then, so many people can’t be wrong.”

The scriptwriter added that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who was an executive producer on War and Peace, had already agreed to work with him on Les Miserables.

“Harvey Weinstein said we could do this with or without the BBC,” he said. “There are so many places you can go these days. But I would always want to be on the BBC on a Sunday night. It’s my absolute favourite place to be.

“They would be silly not to go for it but they might think it’s been done too many times."