Home News University alumna speaks on film-adaptation of hit novel My Policeman – starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin

University alumna speaks on film-adaptation of hit novel My Policeman – starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin

  • Author Bethan Roberts on her delight for new Amazon production which features star-studded cast and Philadelphia scriptwriter
  • Story of a 1950s Brighton policeman, his wife, and his male lover will reach the big screen next year
  • MA in Creative Writing graduate also revealed film version of 2012 literary hit has been in the works for eight years

 

A NOVELIST who studied at the University of Chichester has spoken of her delight after filming began on the movie-adaption of her acclaimed book – starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin.

Writer Bethan Roberts, from Brighton, gave Amazon and Berlanti Productions permission to create the feature-length of her 2012 literary hit My Policeman, with production now underway around the south coast.

The Chichester alumna, who studied for the MA in Creative Writing, has become an award-winning author since graduating and has written a series of critically-acclaimed novels.

Bethan said: “I’m still in shock. I didn’t think the film would ever get made – only one per cent of movies that start as a novel get funded. I can confirm that Harry Styles and Emma Corrin are involved. The producers have been wonderful and have included me in some of their conversations.”

The film has taken about eight years to reach production, which is relatively quick for a book adaptation, Bethan said. “Lots of it is luck but the filmmakers first need a strong script. Ron Nyswaner is the scriptwriter, who wrote Philadelphia among other incredible movies.”

The real-life history behind My Policeman

My Policeman is the story of 1950s copper Tom [Harry Styles], his wife Marion [Emma Corrin], and his male lover, located in what was a very different Brighton from the vibrant seaside city of today.

Bethan freely admits the novel is her favourite work to date – although did not realise how successful it would become, even if it was the City Read for Brighton when released a decade ago.

“I’ve lived in Brighton since the mid-90s,” she said, “and became fascinated with the works of EM Forster, including his remarkable relationship with a policeman in the 1950s. They were in love for 30 years, during a time when homosexuality was illegal, but they managed to negotiate a shared relationship with his wife.

“I took some of their stories and built My Policeman on that. It was important that I set it in Brighton, not only because I live there, but because it was a different place in the 50s. Thankfully EM Forster had a much happier ending than in the book, not that I’m giving away any spoilers.”

‘Chichester’s MA turned around my attitude towards writing’

Bethan also writes short fiction, including drama for BBC Radio 4, and is a previous recipient of the Society of Authors’ Olive Cook Prize and RA Pin Drop Award. It was at Chichester, however, where she partly wrote her first book, The Pools, while finishing her MA degree.

The novel, based around the fallout of a murdered teen, landed her first book deal and propelled her onwards for further success – notably her 2014 award-winner Mother Island, which received the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered prize.

Bethan said: “My MA at Chichester turned around my attitude towards writing. It gave me great confidence, and I found people were reading my writing and enjoying it. If you have no experience of publishing, it can seem like too big of a leap. What helped was sharing experiences with others and getting words on a page and learning how to read like a writer.

Read more on Bethan’s celebrated career

No release date has been given for the Amazon film but it is expected to hit the big screen in 2022.

Find out about the University of Chichester’s MA in Creative Writing at www.chi.ac.uk/ma-creative-writing. For more on Bethan and her award-winning books go to www.bethanrobertswriter.co.uk.

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