Fairy Tales

Four classic Fairy Tales Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Emperor's New Clothes and Billy Goats Gruff are re-invigorated and updated by contemporary writers – Ed Roe, Richard Pinto, Anil Gupta, Debbie Horsfield, Jeremy Dyson and brought to life by the very best in British acting talent Bernard Hill, Geraldine James, Shaun Williamson, Lee Ingleby, Charity Wakefield, James Nesbitt, Maxine Peake, Charity Wakefield, Denise Van Outen, Hariett Walter, Liz White, Mathew Horne, Paul Nicholls and Sarah Smart – for BBC One.

Executive Producer, Mark Redhead at Hat Trick Productions says: "The anthology includes tales made popular by the Grimms, Anderson and Perrault's collections and many of these stories have been around for centuries.

"In our collection of comedy-dramas, these timeless tales are reworked by some of the most talented and original writers in British television who tell their own contemporary and hugely entertaining versions."

An introduction to Cinderella, the second in BBC One's anthology of four contemporary adaptations of classic fairy tales.

Actress Maxine Peake admits she was completely bowled over to be offered the role of Cindy Mellor, the put upon university cleaner in BBC One's new adaptation of Cinderella: "If I was ever to appear in Cinderella, I always imagined myself as a Buttons, not the leading lady! In fact, when I auditioned it was for one of the ugly sisters but I didn't hear anything and assumed I hadn't got it.

"Then I bumped into James Nesbitt, who I'd never met before, and he came over to me and said 'I heard you're playing Cinderella'. I said I wouldn't say anything but got straight on the phone to my agent begging them to find out! The next day they rang back and told me I'd got the job.