BBC’s The Passion schedule confirmed

Photo Credit: BBC

07/03/08

The BBC has now confirmed the scheduling of The Passion, the drama series airing in Holy Week.

Representatives of the UK’s biggest denominations have urged Christians to welcome the series. Following the preview, the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Dr Richard Chartres said:

"This is an honest attempt to cast the story of Jesus Christ in an approachable way yet in his historical context. The Passion works by including a great deal of Jesus' words and actions from the New Testament but without being wedded to the language of biblical quotation, making it accessible to all. It does, however, provoke a number of questions.

"It is impossible to demonstrate on screen the sheer perturbation that Jesus Christ's presence on Earth created. This production should prompt us all to consider the mystery of Jesus, to contemplate exactly who this unique person was, and to ponder his power to perturb and his power to transform."

The Churches’ Media Council has published guidance for Christians saying:

“There's no need to debate whether or not the Christian community should welcome this production. We celebrate the fact that the story of Jesus is being retold for an audience of millions.”

The series tells the story of the last week of Jesus’ life, his trial and crucifixion. It has been made by award-winning drama producer Nigel Stafford-Clark, who was responsible for Bleak House and Warriors. The cast includes Cold Feet star James Nesbitt as Pilate and EastEnders actor Paul Nicholls as Judas Iscariot. The part of Jesus is played by the relatively unknown Joseph Mawle, who at 33 is the same age as Jesus during the events of the Passion.

Episode Guide

Episode 1

Palm Sunday 16th March, BBC ONE, 8pm (after EastEnders)
It's Passover in Jerusalem, and the city is bursting with pilgrims. It's a tense time for those charged with keeping order - like Pilate the Roman Prefect and Caiaphas the High Priest. The arrival of a preacher from Galilee called Jesus causes great excitement when he enters through the East Gate on a donkey's colt, fulfilling prophecies of the coming of the Messiah. For Jesus' band of disciples, hardened by several years on the road, this is the moment they've been waiting for, but none of them suspects how momentous this week will be.

Episode 2

Monday 17th March, BBC ONE, 8.30pm
Caiaphas is growing increasingly anxious that Jesus' preaching will provoke unrest and bring in the Romans, and when Jesus appears to threaten the Temple it's the final straw. As Jesus tries to explain his destiny to the disciples, Caiaphas calls a council and presents it with a stark choice. With Passover approaching, a fateful decision is taken, and Judas finds himself placed in an impossible position.

Episode 3

Good Friday 21st March, BBC ONE, 9pm (after Question of Sport)
Jesus shares his Last Supper with the disciples, and teaches them their last and most important lesson. Whilst Judas slips away to fetch the Temple guards, Jesus leads the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane and tries to prepare himself for what is to come. The next few hours will bring him face to face with Caiaphas, with Pilate and with his own destiny.

Episode 4

Easter Sunday 23rd March, BBC ONE, time TBC (around 8pm)
As Jesus is taken from the cross and buried, his disciples cower in hiding. Caiaphas, fearful that the body will be stolen, orders the tomb to be guarded. But when Mary Magdalene discovers it empty, a chain of events is about to begin that will transform the lives of the disciples and reverberate throughout the world for the next two thousand years.