Sophie Okonedo and Adrian Lester to star in BBC drama 'Undercover'

Sophie Okonedo and Adrian Lester are to star in Peter Moffat's six-part, political thriller, Undercover, the BBC announced Thursday.

To be directed by James Hawes, the series follows Maya, played by Okonedo, who is about to become the first black Director of Public Prosecutions. Lester will play her husband Nick, a former undercover officer.

"Ever since making Criminal Justice with Hilary Salmon, we've been itching to get back to looking at the parts of the justice system, the media and public life that time and again over the last five years have been shown to be occupied by the good, the bad and the very ugly. I've been lucky enough with the research sources I've had access to to dig really deep into the darker corners of all these worlds and come up with what I hope is an uncompromising and surprising thriller. I feel incredibly lucky to be writing for such a wonderful cast, with two lead actors in Sophie Okonedo and Adrian Lester, who are right at the top of their games. It has been a particular privilege to have had the chance to involve and engage Sophie in the research and development process at every point," screenwriter Moffat said in a statement.

"Peter Moffat has written an extraordinary story that is relevant and, at the same time, utterly compelling. He asks hard questions of us all. The part I play is a titan of women, called Maya, who is not afraid to say the unsayable. She is a truth-seeker and is prepared to shine light into the darkest corners, come what may. I am tremendously excited, honored and, of course, a little frightened to play her," Okonedo added.

"This is one of those opportunities that an actor hopes for. The people involved are some of the most talented artists working in television. Sophie Okonedo, Peter Moffat, Richard Stokes, Hilary Salmon and James Hawes. Having admired them for years, I now get the chance to work with them. I'm really looking forward to it," Lester stated.

The program is being filmed in and around Cornwall and London, starting this month. It will co-star Tamara Lawrance, Daniel Ezra, Shannon Hayes, Vincent Regan, Angel Coulby, Derek Ridell, Mark Bonnar, Leanne Best, Jude Akuwudike, Thomas Dominique, Glyn Grimstead, Phil Deguara, Sam Stockman, Thomas Aldridge, Kerry Shale, Neil D'Souza, Todd Kramer, Robert Whitelock, Terence Beesley, Fraser Ayres, Clarence Smith, Brett Allen, Nathan Nolan and Enzo Squillino Jr.