Silver Spring, MD; September 2, 2008 —Acorn Media announces the October 28, 2008 DVD debut of Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, a new, delightfully witty adaptation of Britain’s most notorious novel, which was banned in the U.K. for more than 200 years. The lavish drama from acclaimed screenwriter Andrew Davies premiered in October 2007 and became the highest-rated program in the history of BBC4 and is available to U.S. audiences for the first time with its DVD release.

Famous for his sexy, successful adaptations of classic literature, screenwriter Andrew Davies (Brideshead Revisited, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House) revels in the frank sensuality and bawdy humor of Britain’s first erotic novel—John Cleland’s “Fanny Hill” (1748).

With a mischievous glint in her eye and plenty of knowing winks, Fanny relates her journey from wholesome naïf to worldly woman. After losing her parents to smallpox, the poor country girl travels to London, where she falls into prostitution under the guidance of an infamous madam. Forced to take a series of lovers to survive, Fanny comes to enjoy her profession enthusiastically, while reserving her heart for the man she loves.

Showing a playfulness that matches her beauty, newcomer Rebecca Night sparkles in the title role. Samantha Bond (GoldenEye), Alison Steadman (BBC America’s Gavin & Stacey, Pride and Prejudice), Philip Jackson (Agatha Christie’s Poirot), and Hugo Speer (The Full Monty) join her in this unabashedly sexy tale of one woman’s appetite for independence and pleasure.

John Cleland wrote “Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure” in 1748 while in prison for debt. The novel was banned in Britain for more than 200 years because of its sexual content and earned Cleland a jail sentence for "corrupting the King's subjects." It was first published in the United States in 1821 and was also banned for obscenity until the 1966 U.S. Supreme Court case Memoirs vs. Massachusetts.

Contains nudity and strong sexual scenes

Special Features: Behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, biography of screenwriter Andrew Davies, and program previews.

Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British television. Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.