The BBC has announced that it is to broadcast ‘epic film versions’ of Richard II, Henry IV parts I and II, and Henry V as part of a season of Shakespeare’s history plays to be produced by Oscar-winning stage and film director Sam Mendes, who has secured Sir Richard Eyre and Rupert Goold as directors for the project.

This will be the first adaptation of the history plays on UK television since the BBC Television Shakespeare project in 1978 and 1979. The plays will be broadcast on BBC2 and are part of a £10m season in 2012 to celebrate Shakespeare.

For further details see the BBC press release.