Oscar-nominated actors Janet McTeer and Stephen Rea have joined the cast of a major BBC thriller set against the Israel-Palestinian conflict, it was announced this week.

Hollywood's Maggie Gyllenhaal has already signed up to star in The Honourable Woman, Hugo Blick's seven-part drama about family inheritance and world politics.

The series, which is due to air on BBC2 next year, begins shooting in London next week. Filming will also take place in Israel and the territories over the next three months.

Ms Gyllenhaal is playing protagonist Nessa Stein, the daughter of a Zionist arms procurer tracked by MI6 and the CIA after the death of a Palestinian business partner.

She said: “Nessa is such an exciting and intricate character. I can’t wait to begin filming.”