After a female Dr Who, is it now Lady Rumpole of the Bailey? Barrister in classic drama could become latest character to swap genders as it is revived for the 21st century

• Leo McKern played Rumpole of the Bailey in the classic ITV drama from the 70s 
• Emily Mortimer, daughter of writer Sir John Mortimer, is penning new episodes
• Sir John wrote original series scripts and the books on which they were based

We’ve already seen one popular television character change gender when Jodie Whittaker took on the role of Doctor Who.

Now it could be the turn of another screen favourite, with suggestions Rumpole of the Bailey could also be reborn as a woman.

Leo McKern played the brilliant barrister in the classic long-running ITV drama watched by millions from the 1970s.

New episodes are now being penned by actress Emily Mortimer, whose father – author, playwright and barrister Sir John Mortimer – wrote both the scripts for the original series and the books on which they were based.

Leo McKern played Rumpole of the Bailey in the classic long-running ITV drama watched by millions

Miss Mortimer has taken on the challenge of updating the court-room drama with her younger sister Rosie. And when asked if that might mean Rumpole returning as a woman, she teased: ‘You’ll have to wait and see.’

The 47-year-old added in an interview with The Times: ‘It’s an onerous responsibility in a way, but it’s been such fun to write. It’s such a nice way of remembering our dad and realising how radical the character was.’

The new take on Rumpole will be set in the modern day, and though Miss Mortimer will not be drawn on specifics, it promises a ‘plan’ for the barrister’s feared wife Hilda – known in the classic TV series as ‘she who must be obeyed’ and never seen on-screen. Rumpole’s timeless, cigar-loving character was played in the TV series that ran from 1978 to 1992 by Australian-born McKern, who died in 2002 aged 82. 

New episodes are now being written by actress Emily Mortimer, whose father Sir John Mortimer, wrote both the scripts for the original series and the books on which they were based

Actress Patricia Hodge also made regular appearances as QC Phyllida Erskine-Brown.

Jodie Whittaker is the first actress to play Doctor Who

Eager for a follow-up, producers have repeatedly approached Sir John’s second wife Penelope – Miss Mortimer’s mother – about the rights. Oxford-educated Miss Mortimer, who played Mrs Banks in last year’s blockbuster remake of Mary Poppins, had never considered getting involved in the project until her American agent suggested she consider try writing. Not wanting to take on the mammoth task alone, the mother-of-two felt it was right to do it with her sister.

‘Rumpole’s broad-minded, forgiving attitude is so refreshing when you read those stories again,’ she said. ‘I felt so proud of my dad from reading them. I just hope we don’t f*** it up, obviously.’

The character of the crumply old barrister was widely believed to be based in large part on Sir John Mortimer himself. The QC’s distinguished legal career included such landmark cases as the notorious Oz obscenity trial in the 1971, when he successfully defended the editors of the underground magazine.

He was also celebrated for his script for the ITV adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, starring Jeremy Irons. Sir John died aged 85 in 2009. The reboot will be produced by Miss Mortimer’s own company King Bee and eOne.

Polly Williams, eOne’s head of scripted development, let slip in March that something was in the pipeline.

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