BBC Maestro has introduced an exciting innovation — a video writing course “taught” by Agatha Christie herself. Thanks to generative AI, restored audio recordings, licensed images, and in-depth analysis of archival materials, the BBC Studios team, in collaboration with the Agatha Christie Estate and with the support of the writer’s family, has recreated her voice and appearance for a unique learning experience.
The video lessons are based on advice Christie left in letters, interviews, and her own texts, as well as research by leading experts on her work. The course consists of eleven videos and twelve practical assignments covering plot twists, building suspense, and structuring a detective story. The script for each lesson has been carefully compiled and shaped by scholars to convey the writer’s views as authentically as possible.
To bring Christie’s image to the screen, actress Vivien Keene was invited; her performance was enhanced with AI to add the writer’s distinctive features. This approach created a sense of presence, with advice delivered in “her own words” and mannerisms recognizable to fans of classic detective fiction.
The “Agatha Christie Writing” course is already available on the BBC Maestro platform by subscription. According to the writer’s great-grandson James Prichard, participants will gain access to a unique set of tips directly from the Queen of Crime — an opportunity to hear her thoughts on crafting mysterious plots in an unparalleled format.
