The Prisoner . . . again?

The United Kingdom's Sky One is said to be planning a new series inspired by the cult 1960s series The Prisoner, which starred Patrick McGoohan as a former secret agent trapped in an isolated town, the BBC News Web site reported.

The show will not take place in the famous "Village" setting of the original -- shot in the north Wales village of Portmeirion--the industry weekly Broadcast reported. But it is understood the themes of paranoia, conspiracy and identity crisis will remain, the BBC reported. Damien Timmer, who has been lined up to executive-produce the show for Granada, told Broadcast the new series would take "liberties with the original" and would not retain its arty feel.

The original Prisoner ran for 17 episodes on ITV in 1967. Bill Gallagher, the writer of the BBC's crime drama Conviction, is reported to be writing the new version.