BBC Films and AL Films are developing a film together about the celebrated Olympic rivalry between Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe, arguably the greatest athletics rivalry of all time.

The film is due to be released prior to the London 2012 Olympics.

Joanna Anderson and Vicky Licorish, of AL Films, the producers behind BBC One's recent hit Small Island, have signed up LA-based Brit writer William Davies (Flushed Away, Johnny English, Twins) to write the screenplay.

"Will is a fantastic writer who is a keen sportsman. He has been fired up by this story which means so much to a UK audience and is the British Olympic story which also gripped the US," says Joanna Anderson.

Coe and Ovett ran in the Moscow and LA Olympics. They dominated world athletics for several years and had very contrasting personalities.

"You were either an Ovett person or a Coe person," says Vicky Licorish, "and that's what makes it such a great character piece as well."

AL Films optioned the acclaimed account of their rivalry, The Perfect Distance, by respected sports journalist Pat Butcher, who had unprecedented access to Coe and Ovett, as well as those closest to them.

Christine Langan, Creative Director, BBC Films, says: "This is a gem of a story, about British sporting life and more.

"Will's take on it is very exhilarating and BBC Films is excited to be developing it with him and AL Films."

From RapidTalent's Industry Buzz reporter Jason Nicholls on 18/02/2010. More stories on our Google News Stream