Curse of Profumo: BBC bosses’ jitters over all-star drama

Boasting an allstar cast, the BBC’s new drama the trial of Christine Keeler, a six- part series about the Profumo scandal which led to the resignation of a Conservative Cabinet minister, has been billed as the highlight of the autumn season.

But i can dislose this long-awaited treat — starring Emilia Fox, James norton and sophie Cookson — has still not been given a transmission date, such are BBC sensitivities about impartiality rules.

Broadcasting a drama spiced with extra-marital sex and tory Party politics at a time when the country could be engulfed by a general

Election has apparently given BBC bigwigs the collywobbles. ‘We were told it would go out in the autumn,’ says a cast member, ‘but apparently the BBC is reluctant to schedule it for september or october in case an election is called’.

although the events described happened more than 50 years ago, the Conservative government became embroiled in one of the worst scandals of the century.

John Profumo was secretary of state for War when, staying with Viscount astor at Cliveden, he spied 19-year- old good-time girl Christine Keeler emerge naked from the swimming-pool.

Married Profumo elicited her telephone number from society osteopath stephen Ward, who had invited her to Cliveden where he rented a cottage.

Within weeks, Profumo and Keeler were enjoying an intense affair — despite the fact that Keeler was also sleeping with a soviet naval attache. Profumo initially denied ‘any impropriety’, but resigned after admitting he lied to the Commons.

a BBC spokesman tells me; ‘the series hasn’t been delivered to the BBC yet and no transmission dates have been decided.’