Noah's Ark to be found in Morocco !

English readers may be familiar with the name Tony Jordan. as the lead writer on the TV soap, Eastenders. He is also the man behind the award-winning religious drama, The Nativity. Now his biblical career is to undertake a major project - the story of Noah and his ark.

Tony Jordan - not working with animals!

Jordan, is quoted in the British media as saying his version would be all about Noah's absolute faith in God as he carried out his highly detailed instructions to construct the ark, in defiance of everyone around him.

The BBC1 drama will end with the first drop of rain falling in the global deluge God has warned Noah to prepare for. So, forget any notion of flying your favourite pet to Morocco to get a role marching up the gangway as Jordan's version will omit the two most famous elements of the biblical story: the animals walking into the ark two by two, and a dove sent out by Noah returning with an olive leaf, showing that the flood is subsiding.

Jordan's new drama is expected to be filmed in Morocco where The Nativity was shot. He said he had noted when filming The Nativity that the studios already had a half constructed wooden ark.

By ending with the first drop of rain Jordan is free to work on the pre-story of Noah, who is said by the Bible to be 600 years old at the time of the flood, with three sons with three wives.

The book of Genesis says God is driven to submerge the planet by the great evil and wickedness of man. By contrast Noah is described as "walking with God", who instructs him to build an ark to preserve his family and two of every species from the flood that follows 40 days and nights of rain. Sounds a bit like recent weather in Fez or a touch of global warming, doesn't it?