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<p>　　Green Wing and Free Agents star Stephen Mangan is to play the lead role in BBC4's adaptation of the late Douglas Adams Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.<br/>　　Mangan will be joined by Darren Boyd as his sidekick Richard MacDuff and Cold Feet and Friends actor Helen Baxendale, as MacDuff's girlfriend Susan.<br/>　　Adapted by the Bafta-winning writer Howard Overman – who is also behind Misfits, Vexed and Merlin – Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency follows the exploits of Adams's chaotic character as he uses his unusual methods to solve crimes.<br/>　　Mangan said: "I've been a fan of Douglas Adams ever since the Hitchhiker's radio series which I used to record as a child and listen to over and over again in my bedroom. It's such a thrill to now be playing one of his brilliant characters.<br/>　　"Dirk is a chaotic, anarchic force of nature with a totally unique take on the world. He is described as 'lazy, untidy, dismissive and unreliable'. I've absolutely no idea why they thought I'd be right for the role."<br/>　　The Dirk Gently books have formed the basis of a play and a BBC Radio 4 series but have never before been filmed for TV.<br/>　　Adams's agent, Ed Victor, said: "For all the years I represented the late, great Douglas Adams, the most substantial frustration for both of us was that we couldn't get films made either of Hitchhiker or Dirk.<br/>　　"Douglas once said, memorably, that 'getting a film made in Hollywood was like trying to cook a steak by having a bunch of people come into the room and breathe on it'. Well, we did eventually get a film made in Hollywood of Hitchhiker and, tragically, Douglas didn't live to see it. Nor will he see this adaptation of Dirk – but it's worth bearing in mind that Douglas always thought Dirk would make a better film than Hitchhiker and I feel sure that this new TV drama with a terrific script by Howard Overman will prove his point."<br/>　　Shooting begins this week in Bristol on the 60-minute drama, which is being made by ITV Studios in association with the Welded Tandem Picture Company.<br/>　　The Dirk Gently production is to be directed by Damon Thomas – who also directed BBC4 drama The First Men in the Moon – and will air early next year.</p>