BBC Studios, BBC Maestro and the Agatha Christie Estate have brought Agatha Christie back to life with AI for a new BBC Maestro writing course.
Using restored archival interviews, private letters, and writings researched by a team of Christie experts, the writing course reconstructs Christie’s own voice and insights, guiding students through the art of suspense, plot twists, and unforgettable characters.
BBC Maestro has collaborated with actress Vivien Keene and vfx artists to create a faithful representation of her voice and likeness. Using AI-enhanced tech, licensed images, and restored audio recordings, the course captures the essence of Agatha Christie’s presence and voice, complemented by a script created by academics from Christie’s own words and teachings.
The course has been curated by leading Christie scholars Dr. Mark Aldridge, Michelle Kazmer, Gray Robert Brown, and Jamie Bernthal-Hooker, who have reconstructed Christie’s philosophy on writing, using her own words.
James Prichard, Agatha Christie’s great-grandson, Chairman and CEO of Agatha Christie Limited, says: “The team of academics and researchers that BBC Maestro has assembled have extracted from a number of her writings an extraordinary array of her views and opinions on how to write. Through this course, you truly will receive a lesson in crafting a masterful mystery, in Agatha’s very own words.”
BBC Maestro Chief Executive Officer Michael Levine says: “As a lifelong fan of Agatha Christie, bringing this course to life has been a dream come true, and I am immensely proud of it. Agatha Christie’s BBC Maestro course on Writing invites anyone and everyone who adores Agatha Christie’s writing to learn through her own words, exactly how she does it; her background, her inspirations, her craft and the lessons she learnt along the way.
“BBC Maestro was established to offer the next generation of talent a way to get started, to learn, not from teachers, but from those who have done it themselves. To be inspired by learning from the greatest. As an 11-year-old boy reading “Why Didn’t they Ask Evans?” I could never have imagined that one day, I’d be watching Agatha Christie teaching me how she did it.”
Dr Mark Aldridge, Agatha Christie Expert, said: “Embarking on this project was a journey filled with dedication and collaboration. Working closely with fellow scholars and the Christie family, we meticulously pieced together Agatha Christie’s own words from her letters, interviews, and writings. Witnessing her insights come to life has been a profoundly moving experience.”
Vivien Keene, actor, said: “This role was unlike any other in my 44 years of acting. The process required me to study the few existing clips of Agatha very closely, capturing her subtle mannerisms and expressions. Bringing Agatha’s presence to life was both a privilege and a remarkable experience – one that will stay with me.”
Thiago Porto, Visual Effects Artist said: “Recreating Agatha Christie was a fascinating challenge. With only a handful of photographs and no video footage, we had to carefully study every available detail to capture her likeness authentically. Vivien’s performance was the foundation, and through precise craftsmanship and meticulous attention to historical accuracy, we worked to ensure every frame reflected the essence of who she was.”
RESPEECHER, Audio Specialist, said: “Capturing Agatha Christie’s voice was an incredibly detailed process. We started with just a small selection of archival recordings, carefully analysing the unique qualities of her speech—its warmth, rhythm, and character. The voice actress gave a brilliant performance, and our role was to shape and refine the sound, ensuring that every word felt authentic to Agatha herself. It was a painstaking but rewarding process. We hope the result truly honours her legacy.”
Jon Creamer
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