The six-part limited series is the second Dickens novel Knight has adapted, following A Christmas Carol last year.

Knight will once again be partnering up with producers Ridley Scott and Tom Hardy to bring the novel to life.

Great Expectations tells the coming-of-age story of orphan Pip, who dreams of being a gentleman and winning the heart of the beautiful but cold Estella.

Initially the story was released by Dickens as weekly chapters starting in December 1860, before it was published as a complete novel.

Steven Knight said the experience of adapting Dickens was a “delight”, adding: “I chose Great Expectations as the next work to bring to the screen not just because of the timeless characters, but also because of the very timely story.

“A story of class mobility and class intransigence, told through an intensely emotional and personal first-person narrative. As the son of a Blacksmith myself, Pip’s journey from the forge into society is a very special one to me.”

Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, said Knight’s original take on the classic will make it a “must see drama for a whole new generation.”