Idris Elba cast as a radical activist in new political drama

Los Angeles - Idris Elba is set to star in a new political drama.

The 43-year-old actor has teamed up with the award-winning writer John Ridley - who won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay for 12 Years A Slave last year - for the forthcoming six-part series Guerrilla.

He said: "It's been a long-time desire of mine to collaborate with Mr Ridley and his work here is nothing short of a masterclass in character building and storytelling."

Ridley added: "I am both humbled by and impressed with Idris' passion toward bringing this story to life. I share his commitment for populating the culture with driven and complicated people of colour."

The upcoming programme will see the Luther star portray a radical activist as he and his girlfriend find themselves in the setting of one of the UK's most volatile political periods in the 1970s when they set someone free from prison.

Sky Atlantic's head of drama, Anne Mensah, said: "Rarely does a project pitch the personal and the political in such a flawless combination. Guerrilla presents characters you will fall in love with but also a world and a part of black British history that is rarely tackled in such a bold and compelling manner."

Guerrilla will be aired in the UK sometime in 2017.