Theo James stares pensively out to sea in the first pictures from an adaptation of Jane Austen’s final and incomplete novel Sanditon.

The Divergent star appears as Sidney Parker opposite Rose Williams as Charlotte Heywood in the TV drama, based on the book written months before Austen’s death in 1817.

Rose Williams as Charlotte Heywood (Simon Ridgway/PA)

Sanditon tells the story of the impulsive, spirited and unconventional Charlotte and her spiky relationship with the charming and wild Sidney.

Rose Williams as Charlotte Heywood and Theo James as Sidney Parker (Simon Ridgway/PA)

When a chance accident transports her from her rural home town of Willingden to the coastal resort of the title, it exposes Charlotte to the intrigues and dalliances of a seaside town on the make, and the characters whose fortunes depend on its commercial success.

The twists and turns of the plot, which takes viewers from the West Indies to the rotting alleys of London, exposes the hidden agendas of each character and sees Charlotte discover herself and ultimately find love.

The images also show Last Tango In Halifax star Anne Reid as Lady Denham and Death In Paradise actor  Kris Marshall as Tom Parker.

Anne Reid as Lady Denham (Simon Ridgway/PA)

The script has been penned by Andrew Davies, who was responsible for adaptations of War & Peace, Les Miserables and Pride And Prejudice.

Kris Marshall as Tom Parker (Simon Ridgway/PA)

The series has been filmed in and around Bristol and will air on ITV later this year.