“Adapting Dickens’ work is a delight,” Knight said in a statement. “I chose Great Expectations as the next work to bring to the screen not just because of the timeless characters, but also because of the very timely story.

“A story of class mobility and class intransigence, told through an intensely emotional and personal first person narrative.”

He added: “As the son of a blacksmith myself, Pip’s journey from the forge into society is a very special one to me.”

Charlotte Moore, director of BBC Content, added that Great Expectations was “the perfect choice given its timely and personal narrative”.

“[Knight’s] original take on one of Britain’s most-loved classics will make it must-see drama for a whole new generation,” she said.

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