The Slow Horses indie is developing a contemporary reimagining of the novels

See-Saw Films is to reboot classic detective drama Lovejoy after winning the rights for the bestselling novel series. Written by Dr John Grant and published under the nom de plume Jonathan Gash, the 24-book series of novels carved out a niche in British detective fiction.

They follow the exploits of a charismatic antiques dealer with an uncanny knack for spotting genuine artefacts and scams. Pivoting from dealer to detective, Lovejoy outmanoeuvres rivals, criminals and occasionally the police. The novels were turned into a long-running BBC series, running between 1986-1994, with Ian McShane playing the titular character.

See-Saw is developing a contemporary reimagining of the novels for its returning crime drama, stripping away the nostalgia of the 1980s adaptation. Lisa Gilchrist, Helen Gregory, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Simon Gillis will exec produce for See-Saw. Joining them will be Lisa Moylett of Coombs Moylett Maclean Literary Agency and Dr Grant.