Scriptwriters spent months writing gripping storylines for Freema, 29 — who was a central character in the spin-off show.
But now the former Doctor Who star has been ditched from the five-part BBC mini-series — after agreeing to do ITV’s new British version of US crime series Law and Order.
The move is believed to have annoyed Torchwood creator and executive producer Russell T Davies.
It was him who gave Freema her big break in Doctor Who, playing scientist Martha Jones.
An insider said: “This has really mucked things about. We’ve had to go back and re-edit loads of scripts because she’s not going to be in it.”
The source added that the fact she signed for ITV added insult to injury.
They added: “They’re the Beeb’s bitter rival, so the fact she’s going over there to star in a big new project has not gone down well at all.”
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The BBC said in an official statement: “As with any drama in the early stages of production, scripts evolve and change on a daily basis before being finalised.”
Freema — who was plucked from obscurity to be Doctor Who’s assistant in series three — is expected to play a prosecutor in Law and Order: London.
ITV bosses have high hopes for the adaptation of the Five hit — breaking with tradition to order a long run of about a dozen episodes.
They will start filming the show in the autumn with an “enormous cast”.
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