Sir David Suchet has topped the list of TV's greatest detectives after embodying Hercule Poirot for over two decades. Synonymous with Agatha Christie's beloved franchise, David, 78, concluded his tenure with Poirot's Last Case in 2013, but that doesn't mean he's finished with the character.
© GettyThe star, who headlines the docuseries, Travels with Agatha, spoke to Deadline about his hopes for the Belgian detective. "In 2013 I had made up my mind that I would not do any Poirots that were not Agatha Christie, and I had done all her stories, but I did say quite openly that I would love to do one on the big screen," he explained.
"The movie I would have liked to have made is probably not the one that anybody would have wanted to be made because it's not her most famous book, but my favourite is 'The ABC Murders', which is a wonderful story."
© ITV/ShutterstockPenned in 1936, the novel follows Captain Arthur Hastings, an old friend of Poirot's who implores him to uncover the identity of "A.B.C." – a murderer killing their victims in alphabetical order. Agatha Christie's Poirot adapted the story in 1992, with David reprising his role in the episode, but very rarely has it been relayed in film format.
Speaking to The Guardian in 2013, David explained that it was tough to say goodbye to Detective Poirot. "I will miss him from my life until I die. But everybody has their time. And this is his," he mused at the time.
For David, inhabiting the character was a sheer delight. "I had enormous empathy for him. This little man is not just a detective but a great moral compass and a comfort to people," the actor told Time & Leisure.
"He can be acerbic but he has a big heart and kind nature. And I never got fed up of playing him even though it was over 25 years."
© GettyEleven years after he bid adieu, fans would relish the chance to see David back in character and at 78 years old, the TV star has no intentions of retiring.
Residing in south-west London, David has returned to the theatre in recent years, appearing in a 2023 production of Peter Pan, and he's landed a new role in a Channel 5 drama.
© ITV/LionsgateSet to star in The Au Pair, alongside Vera's Kenny Doughty and Beyond Paradise's Sally Bretton, the series will follow successful businesswoman Zoe (Sally Bretton) as she welcomes a French Au Pair (Ludmilla Makowski) to the family after her diabetic dad (David Suchet) moves next door.
According to the synopsis, the show will delve "into the complexities of family, trust and hidden truths, against the backdrop of the picturesque British countryside". A release date is yet to be confirmed.
