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The sexuality of Agatha Christie's enigmatic confirmed bachelor detective, Hercule Poirot, will be explored in a forthcoming blockbuster adaptation.

The BBC six–part series, Hercule, with Edward Bluemel in the title role, is soon to start filming, mostly in Liverpool.

It will tackle the famous Belgian sleuth's backstory and origins in a way not attempted by the beloved ITV adaptations, starring David Suchet, which simply followed Christie's lead and introduced us to Poirot as a fussy, precise, middle–aged man with no interest in women – or men.

A source says: 'The question of Poirot's sexuality is addressed but not head–on. This is not an adaptation in which Poirot ends up in bed with anyone.

But in the show there are some hints that he might be a bit fluid sexually, with attractions to men and women. There is an occasional frisson as well with people he meets.

'This is Poirot as a younger man.'

Bluemel, 33, will be the youngest ever Poirot. He played bachelor Jimmy Thesiger in this year's Netflix adaptation of Christie's Seven Dials Mystery.

Christie herself never wrote about the detective's love life, although in 1940 book, One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, he was 'fascinated' by and admired jewel thief Countess Rossakoff.

A new six–part BBC series titled Hercule will explore the origin story of a younger Hercule Poirot as he leaves the Belgian police force to set up his detective business in London. Pictured: Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings and David Suchet as Hercule Poirot

Unlike past adaptations or Christie's books, the series will hint at Poirot's subtle sexual fluidity and attraction to both men and women, though it remains nuanced and non–explicit. Pictured: Mia McKenna Bruce as Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent and Edward Bluemel as Jimmy Thesiger

All Poirot's energies were devoted instead to solving crimes and his passion for 'tisane', or herbal tea, and eating two boiled eggs for breakfast, which he insisted were of a matching size.

Suchet, who portrayed the detective from 1989 to 2013, said in an interview that Poirot, depicted by Christie as a dandy given to personal vanity, was 'not gay' but instead 'not actually sexual at all'.

He said: 'Some people think he's gay, but no! No, Poirot is definitely not gay. He fascinates me because he has a very particular sexuality. He's not actually sexual at all, is he?'

The actor Kenneth Branagh, who played Poirot in three films, introduced a tragic 'backstory' to Death on the Nile which saw him lose the (female) love of his life during the war.

In the new series, which will screen next year, we will see Poirot leave the Belgian police force and set up his business as a consulting detective in London as a younger man, and his first encounters with Inspector Japp and Captain Hastings, memorably played by Hugh Fraser alongside Suchet.

Co–stars were announced this week and include James Nesbitt, Tamsin Greig, Henry Ashton, James D'Arcy, Calvin Demba, Phil Dunning, Jack Gleeson and Mawaan Rizwan.

Publicity material describes the show as 'an intimate study of Hercule Poirot the man and an epic portrait of Britain between the wars.'

The first series will centre around three of Christie's early stories. Poirot was first introduced in The Mysterious Affair at Styles in 1920.

It's a big break for Bluemel, who has appeared in Killing Eve, My Lady Jane and We Might Regret This. The son of two science teachers, he was born in Tunbridge Wells and is a Rada graduate.

He said: 'I feel very lucky to have been trusted with such an iconic character who has been played by so many great actors.'

Agatha Christie's great–grandson James Prichard said: 'Edward Bluemel is an extremely talented performer and will make a great addition to the long line of actors that have played this celebrated character, aided and abetted by Benji Walters' thoughtful scripts. I cannot wait to see Edward on screen.'