The BBC has confirmed that the Royal Shakespeare Company’s recent production of Hamlet will be filmed as a drama for broadcast on BBC Two, with David Tennant reprising the main role.

Following on from the production’s overwhelming success, Illuminations have been given the greenlight to shoot the famous Shakespeare play out on location. Not only will Tennant be back, but all of the principal cast members will also return, including Patrick Stewart, who played Claudius.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for BBC Two to bring one of the great stage successes of last year to a wider audience,” said Janice Hadlow, BBC Two Controller.

Meanwhile, RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd said: “We are very pleased that this RSC production will be seen by so many people when broadcast.”

He added: “As the show was sold out for its entire run, this is a really great opportunity for our work to be seen by so many who could not come to the theatre and see it on stage.”

Filming will begin in June and the 180-minute production will air on BBC Two later this year, with tranmissions in America and Japan currently set for early 2010.