Why a London teacher turned down Johnny Depp

Why teacher Saci Lloyd turned down Johnny Depp's proposal

A teacher from east London has turned down a proposal from Hollywood actor Johnny Depp - who wanted to turn her novel into a film.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star hoped Saci Lloyd, who teaches at Newham Sixth Form College, would let his company film her book The Carbon Diaries 2015.

But Ms Lloyd, 42, was against it being set in the US and opted for a UK film company. It will be shown on the BBC.

The book features a female heroine in a world stricken by climate change.

Ms Lloyd said: "Much as I love Johnny Depp and it was a wrench, it was a 'maybe later, Johnny'.

"These books are really about London. It's a heightened reality, but the idea is it's close to things that could really happen."

Johnny Depp has his own film production company

Johnny Depp's production company Infinitum Nihil had been in negotiations to bring the book, which has a cult teenage following, to screen.

But she eventually chose Company Pictures, which has produced the Channel 4 youth series Skins.

Ms Lloyd's media studies students are just glad to have a successful novelist as a teacher.

Samiruz Zaman said: "She helps us out a lot - and she is just a great teacher."