HBO TO PARTNER WITH THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY AND THE BBC TO PRESENT NEW DRAMA SERIES

HBO will partner with The Weinstein Company and the BBC to bring Alexander McCall Smith's international bestselling book series THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY to television, it was announced today by Richard Plepler, co-president, HBO and Michael Lombardo, president, Programming Group and West Coast Operations, HBO. Grammy Award winner Jill Scott ("Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?," "Hounddog") stars in the series, whose two-hour pilot was recently filmed on location in Botswana under the direction of Academy Award(R) winner Anthony Minghella ("Cold Mountain," "The English Patient") from a script by Minghella and Academy Award(R) nominee Richard Curtis ("Four Weddings and a Funeral," HBO's "The Girl in the Cafe"), who also executive produce. The producers are Academy Award(R) winner Sydney Pollack ("Out of Africa") and Timothy Bricknell ("Cold Mountain") for Mirage Enterprises, along with Amy Moore for Cinechicks. In addition to the two-hour film, which will serve as the pilot, HBO has ordered 13 one-hour episodes that will begin filming this summer, with HBO obtaining U.S. and Canadian television and home video rights, and the BBC taking UK television distribution. "THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY" is a poignant and passionate book series chronicling the adventures of Precious Ramotswe, the eminently sensible and wise proprietor of the only female-owned detective agency in Botswana. Aided by her highly-efficient yet rather peculiar secretary Mma Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe investigates cases, helps people solve problems in their lives, and begins a special friendship with the highly respectable owner of a local garage. The dynamic and diverse cast for the television pilot includes Grammy Award-winning singer Jill Scott as series heroine Precious Ramotswe, who has become one of the most beloved characters in international contemporary fiction. Anika Noni Rose ("Dreamgirls") stars as Precious' quirky secretary Mma Makutsi, and Lucian Msamati stars as Mma Ramotswe's devoted suitor JLB Matekoni. They are joined by David Oyelowo ("The Last King of Scotland," HBO's "Five Days" and "As You Like It"), Idris Elba ("28 Weeks Later," HBO's "The Wire"), Colin Salmon ("Die Another Day," "Match Point") and Tony Award winner John Kani ("Final Solution," "The Ghost and the Darkness"). Watch HBO HDTV on DIRECTV channel 509.