THE ESCAPE ARTIST: JONATHAN FREEDLAND BOOK TO BE ADAPTED TO SERIES

Writer Peter Moffat is to adapt Jonathan Freeland's best selling book The Escape Artist into a new limited series. Jonathan Freedland previously won the Orwell prize for journalism and is a columnist at The Guardian newspaper.

The Escape Artist tells the true story of how Rudolf Vrba, a 19 year old Slovakian Jew, along with fellow inmate Fred Wetzler, escaped from Auschwitz to warn the world about the Holocaust. Their report led to the saving of 200,000 Budapest Jews from deportation to Auschwitz.

Jonathan Freedland said: "After the war, Rudolf Vrba stood out for his movie star charisma and the extraordinary tale he had to tell. It seems right that his story will now be brought to the screen by a team as dedicated and talented as Margery Bone and Peter Moffat. I’m thrilled to work with them to bring The Escape Artist to an even wider audience."

Peter Moffat commented: "Jonathan Freedland’s conclusion that Rudolf Vrba deserves to “stand alongside Anne Frank, Oskar Schindler and Primo Levi in the first rank of stories that define the Shoah,” is hard to argue with. It’s a great privilege to be asked to adapt this profoundly moving work"

Bonafide's Margery Bone added: "We are thrilled to be working again with the immense talent that is Peter Moffat on this unique and important story. To bring Jonathan Freedland’s brilliant and meticulously researched book to the screen is an honour for all of us."

More details, casting and broadcaster will be announced in due course.