University expert helps bring Agatha Christie’s writing methods to life in groundbreaking new course

Using meticulously restored archival interviews, private letters, and writings researched by a team of Christie experts, this pioneering course reconstructs the author’s own voice and insights, guiding students through the art of suspense, plot twists, and unforgettable characters.

The course has been curated by leading Christie scholar Dr. Mark Aldridge and his team of fellow experts - Michelle Kazmer, Gray Robert Brown, and J.C. Bernthal - who have painstakingly reconstructed Agatha’s philosophy on writing, using her own words.

Dr Aldridge, who teaches on the Film and Television degree at Southampton Solent University, says: "Embarking on this project was a journey filled with dedication and collaboration. Working closely with fellow scholars and the Christie family, we meticulously pieced together Agatha Christie's own words from her letters, interviews, and writings.

“Witnessing her insights come to life has been a profoundly moving experience. I also believe that it’s a great example of using traditional scholarship as the foundation for innovative new practices that bring research to new audiences. Importantly, the project was also a job creator – almost one hundred people were involved, from hair and make-up artists to directors and camera operators, as well as the tech wizards who delivered the final product – and, of course, the actor Viv Keene, who performed as Agatha Christie. This is exactly the sort of innovative real-world project that our own students can expect to be trained for and then embark upon both during and after their studies at Southampton Solent University."

For the first time, audiences will hear Agatha Christie impart her insights on story structure, cast creation, plot twists, red herrings, and the art of suspense, drawn directly from her own writings and archival interviews.

To bring Agatha Christie’s presence to life, BBC Maestro collaborated with actress, Vivien Keene and expert visual effects artists to create a faithful representation of her voice and likeness. This, coupled with AI-enhanced technology, licensed images, and carefully restored audio recordings, helps capture the essence of Agatha Christie’s presence and voice, delivering an experience that feels as though she is speaking directly to the audience.

James Prichard, Agatha Christie’s great-grandson and CEO of Agatha Christie Limited, says: “The team of academics and researchers that BBC Maestro has assembled have extracted from all of her writings an extraordinary array of her views and opinions on how to write. Through this course, you truly will receive a lesson in crafting a masterful mystery, straight from Agatha herself.”

The new course was announced at a press launch last week, hosted by Lucy Worsley in true Christie style, at Claridge’s over afternoon tea! Mark attended the launch and sat on the panel alongside James Prichard (CEO of Agatha Christie Ltd and Christie's great-grandson), actor Viv Keene (who played Agatha Christie on set), and BBC Maestro CEO Michael Levine.

Michael Levine says: “As a lifelong fan of Agatha Christie, bringing this course to life has been a dream come true, and I am immensely proud of it. Agatha Christie’s BBC Maestro course on Writing invites anyone and everyone who adores Agatha Christie’s writing to learn through her own words, exactly how she does it; her background, her inspirations, her craft and the lessons she learnt along the way.”

More information about this groundbreaking initiative that offers the chance to be mentored by the most successful novelist of all time can be found here.