Bond girl Arterton gets BBC drama

Arterton graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art last year

Rising star Gemma Arterton is to play the lead role in a BBC production of Tess Of The D'Urbervilles.

The 22-year-old landed the role just months after being signed up to play agent Fields in the next James Bond film, Quantum Of Solace.

Jodie Whittaker, who starred in the Oscar-nominated film Venus, will play Izzy, while Gavin And Stacey actress Ruth Jones is Tess's mother Joan.

Filming for the BBC One drama begins later this month in the West Country.

The four-hour adaptation is due to be screened in the autumn.

New talent

Arterton's casting as Thomas Hardy's tragic heroine confirms her as one of Britain's brightest new talents.

She graduated from prestigious drama school Rada last year, and made her film debut in Stephen Poliakoff's Capturing Mary, which was screened on BBC Two.

Since then, she has played Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost at the Globe Theatre in London, and starred as unruly head girl Kelly in the British comedy St Trinian's.

She is currently shooting her Bond role, and has recently worked on Guy Ritchie's latest gangster caper, RocknRolla.

Tess Of The D'Urbervilles was named the nation's 12th favourite book in a poll for World Book Day last year, and was last adapted for TV by London Weekend Television in 1997.

The BBC's adaptation was written by David Nicholls, whose credits include Cold Feet and the James McAvoy film Starter for Ten.