Everything you need to know about Gemma Arterton's new scandalous nun drama Black Narcissus

Gemma Arterton leads a star-studded cast in the series

Gemma Arterton's hotly-anticipated new drama looks like it's going to be a highlight of this year's Christmas TV schedule.

MORE: Hugh Grant to star in Netflix special from Black Mirror creators - get the details

The new BBC One drama will see an all-star cast take on Rumer Godden's iconic 1939 tale of sexual repression and forbidden love in a nunnery in the remote mountains of Nepal - see the trailer below!

WATCH: The trailer for BBC One's new scandalous drama Black Narcissus

The story has famously been adapted before, in a 1947 movie which took home two Academy Awards. Fans of the film planning to tune can expect a few modern updates as well as scenes from the novel that were deemed too scandalous at the time. Here's everything you need to know about the new series.

Plot

The official synopsis reads: "Mopu, Himalayas, 1934. A remote clifftop palace once known as the House Of Women, holds many dark secrets. When the young nuns of St. Faiths attempt to establish a mission there, its haunting mysteries awaken forbidden desires that seem destined to repeat a terrible tragedy.

Gemma Arterton plays a nun dealing with feelings of sexual repression

"Ambitious young nun Sister Clodagh heads up a mission to the palace of Mopu, in a remote part of the Himalayas. General Toda Rai has donated The House Of Women in the hope that the sisters will be able to rid the palace of unhappy memories connected to his late sister, Srimati."

MORE: Netflix's The Ripper true-crime documentary is set to be our new obsession

MORE: Netflix's The Prom early reactions are in - see what people are saying

MORE: 11 streaming highlights to watch on Christmas Day: Amazon Prime, NOWTV and more

Release date

Black Narcissus will air across at 9 pm three consecutive nights on BBC One this December, beginning on the Sunday 27th December and concluding on the Tuesday 29th December. The series will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer after broadcast.

Cast

As well as Gemma Arterton, who plays the central role of Sister Clodagh, the new series also stars Jim Broadbent, Alessandro Nivola, and actress Aisling Franciosi.

The late Dame Diana Rigg plays Mother Dorothea

Dame Diana Rigg who played the formidable Lady Olenna Tyrell in will also appear in her final role before her death aged 82 earlier this year.

Discussing how the series will differ from the Oscar-winning movie adaptation, Gemma said: "As we have three episodes, so three hours, we can get deeper into the story of the characters than just the plot... We get under the skin of these characters and explore their relationships in a much deeper way than has been seen before."

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.