Dragon Slayers will be produced by AC Chapter One and Universal International Studios

The BBC is diving back into the world of the British press with a factual drama about the work of legendary newspaper editor Sir Harold ‘Harry’ Evans.

The 1 x 90-minute and 5 x 60-minute Dragon Slayers will star The Beast in Me actor Matthew Rhys as noted Fleet Street figures and editor of The Sunday Times Evans.

Set in the 1970s, it will reveal how his Insight team took on powerful organisations and the government to break some of the UK’s biggest stories, including the Thalidomide cover-up, the truth behind the DC-10 air disaster and exposing Kim Philby as one of the most successful spies of the 20th century.

Dragon Slayers will be produced by AC Chapter One, co-producer of ITV1’s press drama The Hack, and Universal International Studios for BBC1. The A Word creator Peter Bowker is the writer.

Bowker will base the series on published accounts and interviews with those who knew and worked with Evans including his widow, editor, author and journalist Tina Brown, and the Evans family.

He said: “Telling the story of Harry Evans and the work of his Insight team is both a privilege and a joy. And having Matthew leading the cast is more than we could have hoped for.

“All of us are now united by a desire to honour the passion, doggedness and humour of this remarkable group of people. I hope the drama will make us take a fresh look at both journalism and that much maligned decade – the 1970s.”

AC Chapter managing director Spence said: “The generational impact of Harry and his magnificent team acts as a powerful reminder of how much democracy relies on a fearless press, and what would happen if they could no longer shed light where it is most needed.”

Director of BBC Drama Lindsay Salt added: “Dragon Slayers is a rollercoaster story, each episode gripping and powerful, written with Pete Bowker’s signature wit and sense of purpose.

“The investigative stories which were broken by Harry and his team carry as much power and purpose today as they did at the time. It’s a real coup that the wonderful Matthew Rhys will star as the iconic Harry Evans.”

Bowker also executive produces with Matthew Rhys, Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs The Post Office), Joe Williams (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) and Annalisa Dinnella (The Hack). The director is Al Mackay (The Cage), the producer is Natasha Romaniuk (The Split) and the casting director is Shaheen Baig (Adolescence).

The series is distributed by NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution.