'Downton Abbey' Star Among Cast for Gurinder Chadha's ITV Drama 'Beecham House'

Lesley Nicol and Tom Bateman have been cast in the six-part epic, set in Delhi on the cusp of the 19th century.

The ensemble cast for Gurinder Chadha's upcoming six-part period epic Beecham House has been unveiled.

Tom Bateman (Vanity Fair, Jekyll and Hyde) and Lesley Nicol (known for playing cook Beryl Patmore in Downton Abbey) will star in the ITV series, which starts shooting this month in India and Ealing Studios, alongside Gregory Fitoussi, Adil Ray, Marc Warren, Pallavi Sharda, Dakota Blue Richards, Leo Suter and Bessie Carter.

Set on the cusp of the 19th century in Delhi before the British ruled in that region, the drama depicts the fortunes of the residents of Beecham House, an imposing mansion surrounded by acres of exotic woods and pristine lawns.

Co-created by Chadha (Viceroy's House, Bend it Like Beckham) and Shahrukh Husain (In Custody), Beecham House was written by Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges, Victor Levin and Husain. Caroline Levy produces, with Chadha directing episodes one to three and Peter Lydon directing episodes four to six. Acclaimed writer and international renowned expert on this period in India, William Dalrymple, and Husain are historical consultants for the series. It was commissioned for ITV by head of drama Polly Hill.

“Beecham House is a passion project that is driven by my commitment to telling diverse, emotionally engaging stories for mainstream international audiences," said Chadha.

"I am thrilled to be working with Polly Hill and ITV Drama, who share my belief that period drama can be entertaining, ambitious and relevant to key issues of today. I am assembling a vibrant cast of British and Indian actors to play original characters that will appeal to global audiences hungry to see stories from a unique point of view. I grew up with Raj dramas like Jewel in the Crown, The Far Pavilions and A Passage To India. Beecham House is my chance to tell those stories from a British Asian perspective."

FremantleMedia International will act as the global distributor for the series.