Jeremy Piven Headshot - P 2012
Getty ImagesJeremy Piven, welcome to PBS.
The period drama Mr. Selfridge (working title), toplined by the former Entourage star, will debut as part of PBS’ Masterpiece in early 2013, it was announced Wednesday by Masterpiece/WBGH and ITV Studios.
Mr. Selfridge, created by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House) and executive produced by Kate Lewis, centers on the real-life story of the flamboyant and visionary American founder of Selfridge’s, London’s department store.
“Adding Jeremy Piven to our legendary list of Masterpiece actors is a real treat,” said Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton. “Mr. Selfridge has all the qualities viewers expect from our programs — a riveting story, fabulous production values, a first-rate cast, and now … shopping!”
This comes as PBS celebrated Downton Abbey‘s 16 Emmy nominations announced last week and is continuing to add to its arsenal, including Ken Burns‘ The Roosevelts: An Intimate History; Constitution USA with Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me host Peter Sagal; and Cuban Missile Crisis: Three Men Go to War, centering on President John F. Kennedy, Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev and Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Under the co-production deal between Masterpiece/WGBH and ITV Studios, new episodes of the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour, Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Inspector Lewis will also air.
