ITV3 has announced its first comedy drama commission, a 10-part adaptation of Ladies of Letters. The series, based on the hit radio shows and books of the same name, will star Maureen Lipman (Agony, The Pianist, He Kills Coppers) and Anne Reid (Life Begins, The Mother) as Irene Spencer and Vera Small, and charts a correspondence between two widows who meet at Vera’s daughter’s wedding reception. Ladies of Letters is adapted for television by Carole Hayman and Lou Wakefield, who wrote both the original source books and the hugely popular radio series.

Irene (Lipman) and Vera (Reid) reveal their exploits and adventures to one another through the letters they write, each of them trying to outdo the other whether with recipes, holiday destinations or who has the best grandchildren.

Ladies of Letters blends the comedic elements of the ladies’ relationship with a hint of melancholy as we learn how each of them is taken for granted by their families and loved ones. The series follows the ups and downs of their long-distance relationship as it occasionally becomes slightly fractious when one or other of them engages in too much one-upmanship

About the new commission Emma Tennant, Controller of ITV3 and CITV says:

“Ladies of Letters is a fantastically successful brand with a dedicated and loyal following of both the books and radio series. As such, ITV3 is hugely proud for this 10-part series to be our first comedy drama commission, particularly with two such great actors taking the lead roles.”

The series Executive Producer, Geoffrey Perkins, adds:

“We are sure television audiences now will really enjoy the love/hate relationship between these two feisty but often blinkered ladies as they swap barbed insults with each other. Oh, and it’s really funny, touching and occasionally deliciously rude!”