The series will see Academy Award-winner Christopher Walken make his first lead role on British television. Written, starring and directed by Stephen Merchant (The Office), The Offenders follows a mismatched bunch of strangers brought together to complete a Community Payback sentence in Bristol.

While the seven offenders may seem to be easily pigeonholed into stereotypes, the façades soon slip and their unexpected stories reveal their hidden depths, showing how they came to be who they are today.  Part crime thriller, part character study, The Offenders will see the group unite to protect one of their own from Bristol’s most dangerous criminal gang.

Joining Merchant and Walken will be the stellar cast of Rhianne Barreto (Honour), Gamba Cole (Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle), Darren Boyd (Killing Eve), Clare Perkins (EastEnders) and Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark).

Richard E. Grant will star as The Earl, the father of Gabby (Eleanor Tomlinson) who also happens to be a member of the landed gentry. Julia Davis will play Rita, the head of HR at Greg’s (Stephen Merchant) company.

The series is currently filming in Bristol and will air on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK, and Amazon Prime Video internationally.