Dame Helen Mirren
'Prime Suspect' will be returning for a brand new prequel.
The long-running crime drama, which starred Dame Helen Mirren as Detective Inspector Jane Tennison, will return to TV screens - but the Oscar-winning actress isn't going to be taking part.
The show's creator Lynda La Plante has confirmed plans for a prequel with a new actress set to play a younger version of Jane, the formidable police detective who struggled with alcoholism.
Lynda broke the news on ITV's 'This Morning' today (18.02.14), saying: "At an event, a big book signing, a fan came up to me and she said, 'Where did Tennison get that aloof coldness from? What did she do when she was young?'
"It sat in my head so I am coming out with Tennison, back in the '70s, '80s ... how she became a DCI."
Lynda says she is excited to find a new actress to portray Jane Tennison, a role which earned Helen, 68, numerous BAFTA and Emmy Award wins.
She enthused: "What's going to be really exciting is to hunt for a star."
The crime writer also paid tribute to Helen, who was awarded the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship Award at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday (16.02.14).
Lynda added: "Her depth as an actress is astonishing. It was wonderful to watch her really bring that character to life."
'Prime Suspect' aired 15 feature-length episodes between 1991 and 2006.
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