United States television company NBC and Power Studios International are planning to turn Daniel Defoe's classic novel Robinson Crusoe into a 13-part series.

A location scout visited the ship in Whitby last week and it is understood a contract has now been signed between the studio and the ship's owners Phoenix Turk Ltd.

A spokesman for the company said the main scenes for the series are to be filmed in Whitby and three scenes will be shot on the Grand Turk.

A number of other Yorkshire locations will feature, including York, when filming begins in the second half of May.

Crusoe will be played by American actor Philip Winchester and the part of his wife by Anna Watson.

The series will be shown on a commercial channel.

Industry website imdb.com reported about the proposed show: "Based on the novel written in 1719, this is said to be an action-packed period drama set in the 17th Century, but with a contemporary take on race relations, and a hero who will bear a resemblance to Angus MacGyver. NBC has committed to 13 episodes."

Robinson Crusoe tells the story of a man set ashore on an island after a terrible storm at sea, who is forced to make do with only a knife, some tobacco, and a pipe.

He learns how to build a canoe, make bread, and endure endless solitude.

That is, until, 24 years later, when he confronts another human being.

First published in 1719, Robinson Crusoe has been praised by such writers as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Samuel Johnson as one of the greatest novels in the English language.

The Grand Turk is no stranger to the limelight having starred in many movies and television programs including Hornblower and Longitude.

It was primarily built to be used for filming purposes and has used Whitby as its permanent home since 2003.

It has become a beacon for tourists and locals alike and when berthed in Scarborough, the fighting frigate attracts hundreds of visitors.

Last year Phoenix Turk Limited put the ship on the market at $5.5 million – around £2.8 million – and many in the borough were worried the sale could have serious repercussions on the borough's tourism and leisure industry with huge amounts of income being lost.