Series one of the RTS Award-winning drama saw two murders tear apart a Nottinghamshire mining village, revealing tensions that had been dormant since 1984. The miners who were on strike and those who crossed the picket line were still at odds four decades later.
When a union man was killed by an arrow, more killings followed in its path as the community unravelled.
If four series of lavish production and high-stakes storylines about the upper echelons of the aristocracy weren’t enough to whet appetites for series five of The Crown, the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II will have piqued yet more interest in Netflix’s flagship show.
In the days following the monarch’s death, The Crown’s audience rose more than 800% in the UK, according to data analytics firm Whip Media. This is a reminder, if one were needed, of the strong emotional connection many viewers feel to the British Royal Family.
Imelda Staunton is succeeding Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II, and will be presiding over what was a turbulent period for the family.
On her accession, Staunton told Tulum: "What has been nice, and I hope I don’t prove them wrong, is people saying, ‘I’m really looking forward to seeing her as the queen.' So, let’s just hope that works out for them, because I’ve done it. Nothing I can do about it now!"
The new six episodes will be written by series creator Peter Bowker alongside Rachel Bennette and Matt Jones, which will continue to tell the story of World War Two through the eyes of ordinary people whose lives have been thrown into chaos.
October 1940. As lone pilots are sent to destroy German bombers prowling the skies above Manchester, the beginning of the Northern Blitz signals the true reality of war arriving in Britain.
Eagle-eyed viewers – and, for detective dramas, we should assume that’s the majority – may have noticed a small detail in an early episode of the long-running ITV series Midsomer Murders. “You’ll see one of the characters reading a book called Magpie Murders. At that point, I hadn’t written it, but I got the book made up into a prop anyway,” Anthony Horowitz, writer of both, told the RTS.
A behind the scenes look at BritBox UK's upcoming crime series Magpie Murders.
On the panel, moderated by host Caroline Frost, are writer of the series and original novel Anthony Horowitz, producer Jill Green, director Peter Cattaneo and stars Lesley Manville, Daniel Mays and Tim McMullan.
The six-part drama is inspired by real-life events and takes place in the Nottinghamshire mining village where Graham grew up.
An already fractured community is completely torn apart when two tragic and unexpected killings lead to a massive manhunt to find the person responsible.
Suspicion and antipathy begin to seep into the town, straining relationships between lifelong neighbours and towards the police forces.
The killings threaten to reignite historic divisions sparked during the miners strike three decades before.
The three-part series includes I Am Maria, I Am Victoria and I Am Danielle, with Savage collaborating with the lead actors to create stories with personal resonance and improvised dialogue.
Manville stars in I Am Maria, which uncovers the cracks that can appear in long-term relationships and the dilemma of being at a crossroads in life and navigating the opportunities and doubt that can bring.
A short trailer accompanied the announcement, in which Olivia Colman’s Queen Elizabeth II declares: “Something as important as the monarchy simply cannot be allowed to fail.”
The trailer also introduced the characters of Margaret Thatcher and Princess Diana, played by Gillian Anderson and Emma Corrin.
The coming series will follow the arrival of Thatcher as Prime Minister and Diana’s turbulent relationship with Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor).
Written by playwright Moira Buffini, Harlots explores the world of Georgian London’s most valuable commercial activity – sex.
Inspired by the stories of real women in 18th century London, the high-powered family drama follows Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton), a brothel owner struggling to reconcile her profession with her role as mother to her daughters.
Lesley Manville (Mum) stars as the rival madam Lydia Quigley, who ruthlessly attempts to upend Margaret’s business.
