Hurt to play Englishman in NYC

The actor John Hurt is to reprise his role as the celebrated eccentric Quentin Crisp. The new TV film, called An Englishman in New York, will pick up where the 1970s classic The Naked Civil Servant (pictured) left off, and will focus on the period when Crisp, who died aged 81 in 1999, lived in New York. This proved a rollercoaster ride for the former artist's model and author.

At first New Yorkers embraced his witty, waspish ways, but he then fell out of favour after saying that AIDS was only a "fad". He was later rediscovered and immortalised in Sting's song An Englishman in New York.

The one-off film, which is being made by ITV, will be shot in August in London and New York and will be broadcast later this year. Hurt's performance in The Naked Civil Servant won him a Bafta for best actor.