BBC confirms the next Agatha Christie adaptation will be 'Death Comes as the End'

The ABC Murders has just come to an end but the BBC is already planning its next Agatha Christie adaptation.

This time, though, it’s not going to be set in the 20th Century rather Ancient Egypt and there are no European characters.

Death Comes as the End is the only Christie novel to not be set in the 1900s as the story takes place during 2000 BC, in Thebes where an Egyptian family is thrown into turmoil by a killer on the loose.

The tale unfolds when a successful but pompous priest, Imohtep, introduces a new concubine, Nofret, to his family and she ends up stirring up discord leading to someone’s death.

Just like most Christie mystery novels, there are plenty of suspects and in a similar vein to Ordeal by Innocence plenty of them are in the family.

The series is expected to follow the three-part drama format and written by Vanity Fair writer Gwyneth Hughes not Sarah Phelps, who penned the last four adaptations.

“Transmission for this is to be confirmed and Gwyneth has always been the writer attached to this title,” a BBC source told RadioTimes.com. “Sarah is not ‘stepping aside’ from Agatha Christie.

“In fact [production company] Mammoth Screen is currently in discussion with Sarah about her next 20th century-set title that she will tackle.”

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