So the chap in green tights is Jonas Armstrong, the Sheriff of Nottingham is Keith Allen, and Friar Tuck is, oh, there is no Friar Tuck. Welcome to the new Robin Hoodie!
Jonas who? After everyone from Sean Bean to Robbie Williams was linked with the part, the lead role went to the relative TV newcomer, who was Pete Maitland in Channel 4's Ghost Squad and Anthony Millington in six episodes of Teachers.
Armstrong is a "TV hunk set to send female hearts a-quiver," according to today's Daily Mirror. Try and imagine what Declan Donnelly would have looked like had he fallen in with the wrong crowd at primary school, and you're halfway there. Another relative newcomer, Lucy Griffiths, will play Maid Marian.
You'll be more familiar with Allen, and Richard Armitage of the BBC's North and South is to be Guy of Gisbourne. Little John will be played by Gordon Kennedy, Harry Lloyd is Will Scarlett and Joe Armstrong is Allan-a-Dale, a character who has temporarily slipped from my memory. Friar Tuck has been axed, apparently, because he is a "bit of a laughing stock". Shame!
But all eyes will be on Armstrong, who follows in the footsteps of Kevin Costner, Jason Connery, Michael Praed, Sean Connery and Errol Flynn (to name but a few). BBC1 controller Peter Fincham will be hoping Armstrong is more Connery than, er, Connery, if you know what I mean.
"We've come up with something cool that's modern and medieval with a bit of street," explains Armstrong. "I've even got a hoodie." Episode one: Robin is barred from Bluewater Shopping Centre.
