FIRST LOOK: Olivia Colman looks unrecognisable as jilted bride Miss Havisham

Olivia Colman looks unrecognisable in first-look photos as jilted once-bride-to-be Miss Havisham in Steven Knight’s forthcoming adaptation of Great Expectations for the BBC and FX.

The actress, 48, appeared decades older thanks to impressive costume and make-up work as she donned the trademark character’s wedding dress and veil.

One snap shows her cradling the face of her co-star Fionn Whitehead – who plays Pip.

Classic: The actress, 48, appeared decades older thanks to impressive costume and make-up work as she donned the trademark character’s wedding dress and veil (pictured in May)

Another captures her using a walking stick to make her way over to Shalom Brune-Franklin, who stars as Estella.

They will appear in the six-part limited series alongside a stellar cast including Ashley Thomas, Johnny Harris, Hayley Squires, Owen McDonnell, Trystan Gravelle, Rudi Dharmalingam and Matt Berry.

Top Boy actor Ashley will take on the role of lawyer Jaggers while Johnny is set to play escaped convict and Pip’s benefactor Magwitch. 

On set: Another captures her using a walking stick to make her way over to Shalom Brune-Franklin, who stars as Estella

Great Expectations is the coming-of-age story of an orphan nicknamed Pip. 

Olivia’s character – Miss Havisham – is a wealthy woman who, since being stood up on her big day, insists on always wearing her wedding dress.

The role was previously played by Martita Hunt in the 1946 film version while Gillian Anderson took on the role in 2012.

She lives with her daughter Estella in a darkened, decrepit mansion, following the heartbreak two decades prior.

Charles Dickens first released the work in a series of weekly chapters beginning in December 1860, before it was subsequently published as a novel.

Dickens’ famous novel follows the story of Pip, who lives with his sister Mrs Joe Gargery and her blacksmith husband Joe.

Escaped convict Magwitch scares Pip into stealing food and a metal file for him, but takes the blame when Pip is caught for the theft.

Later, Pip visits the eccentric Miss Havisham at Satis House and meets Estella, who he falls in love with.

However Miss Havisham is raising Estella to break men’s heart as she lashes out at her own treatment.

Adaptation: Martita Hunt played the role of Miss Havisham in the 1946 film version (pictured) 

Pip later discovers he has a wealthy benefactor and becomes a gentleman, while Estella marries another man.

Knight will write and executive produce Great Expectations, which will also be executive produced by Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott, Dean Baker, David W. Zucker, Kate Crowe – the team behind 2019’s A Christmas Carol – and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC. 

Great Expectations will be produced by FX Productions in association with the BBC, Scott Free and Hardy Son & Baker.

This is the second Dickens adaptation penned by Knight, following the hit limited series A Christmas Carol.

Filming for the series continues in the South of England.

It will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK.

New version: Gillian Anderson took on the role in 2012