Edward Bluemel is entirely unrecognisable as he transforms into Agatha Christie’s iconic detective

Edward Bluemel has turned heads as the 33-year-old actor donned Hercule Poirot’s iconic moustache for the BBC‘s upcoming series, Hercule, which examines the iconic character’s early life.

On Friday, the BBC shared the first images of the star as Agatha Christie’s legendary detective, and it’s safe to say that the My Lady Jane star was looking unrecognisable.

The actor’s normally wild black hair has now been neatly tousled, and the star’s clean-shaven face is no more as he has Hercule Poirot’s moustache. Edward was also wearing attire that suited the era with a beige suit and matching bowler hat.

In his pocket, a handkerchief could be seen, and the whole ensemble was finished off with a patterned tie.

The upcoming series will be an examination of Hercule Poirot’s early life before he became the detective that fans know and love, while also showing life in Britain in between the two wars.

The show is based on three of Agatha Christie’s early stories, and will see Poirot meet several of his key allies in future novels, as well as an early nemesis.

What else do we know about Hercule?

The six-part series is due to land on iPlayer in 2027, and the show is already boasting an incredible cast alongside Edward, who is known for his roles in My Lady Jane, A Discovery of Witches and Sex Education.

Other key talent who will be in the show are Henry Ashton (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), James D’Arcy (NCIS: Tony & Ziva), Calvin Demba (Supacell), Phil Dunning (Am I Being Unreasonable?), Jack Gleeson (House of Guinness), Tamsin Greig (Riot Women), James Nesbitt (Line of Duty), Guy Remmers (The Buccaneers), Rebecca Rittenhouse (His & Hers) and Mawaan Rizwan (Juice).

Jon Farrar, Chief Content Officer at BBC Studios, previously teased Hercule as an “ambitious reimagining of one of Christie’s greatest creations”. 

“Few characters in fiction are as iconic as Hercule Poirot,” he said. “Agatha Christie’s stories have always been a cornerstone of BritBox and with Hercule, we have an opportunity to explore a fascinating new chapter in Hercule Poirot’s life, bringing a fresh perspective to a character audiences think they know so well.

“We’re delighted to greenlight a series that explores Hercule like never before, with Edward Bluemel bringing his charm, dynamism and wit to a beloved character.”