Christopher Eccleston to star as John Lennon in new BBC drama

Salford's Christopher Eccleston is set to take on arguably one of the biggest roles of his acting career to date, with the news that he has been confirmed to star as John Lennon in a major new BBC Four production entitled Lennon Naked.

The former Doctor Who star takes the lead in the 90 minute film spanning the years 1967-71 and Lennon's evolution from a member of The Beatles to a global icon in his own right.

Ben Stephenson, the controller of BBC Drama commissioning, said that the fact that the actor had been secured for the role was "testament to the calibre of drama on BBC Four."

Lennon Naked, which will air next year, focuses on a turbulent period in the musician's life - taking in the death of Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in 1967, his relationship with his father Freddie, his divorce from his 'long-suffering' wife Cynthia and his meeting with Yoko Ono.

Alongside Eccleston Christopher Fairbank stars as Freddie Lennon, Naoko Mori as Yoko Ono, Claudie Blakley as Cynthia Lennon, Rory Kinnear as Brian Epstein and Andrew Scott as Paul McCartney.

The drama has been written by Robert Jones (The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Party Animals) and is currently being filmed in London.

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