ITV has a "gripping" new drama in the works, and it's definitely going on my watchlist.
The six-part series, which stars Michelle Keegan (Brassic) and Douglas Booth (The Riot Club), promises to have audiences on the edge of their seats as secrets, suspicion and systemic corruption lie under the surface of a seemingly quiet town.
HELLO!'s TV Writer Abby Allen said of the show: "The Blame sounds utterly irresistible for mystery-drama fans – and I'm definitely one of them! If this show delivers even half the twists and turns of Michelle Keegan's Netflix thriller Fool Me Once, it's set to be unmissable. And with Douglas Booth on board? The countdown starts now…"
Intrigued? Keep reading for all you need to know about the series.
What is The Blame about?
The series, produced by acclaimed Quay Street Productions, is written and executive produced by Megan Gallagher (All Her Fault, Wolf) and is based on the debut novel of the same name by Charlotte Langley.
The story begins when the body of teenage figure skater Sophie Madsen is discovered, sending shockwaves through the town of Wakestead.
The synopsis continues: "As DI Crane (Keegan) and DI Radley (Booth) dig deeper, what starts as a tragic death, spirals into a tangled web of lies, institutional cover-ups, and moral compromise. As the clock ticks and trust fractures, Crane must navigate both a murder investigation and the treacherous politics inside her own team."
ITV's Director of Drama, Polly Hill, teased the show as a "brilliant new crime thriller full of surprising twists and a compelling investigation that also cleverly tackles police corruption, exploitation and misogyny as the thriller unravels".
Polly added: "Megan is such a wonderful and clever writer, and with Michelle Keegan in the lead and Nicola Shindler (Quay Street Productions) at the helm, this is going to be an unmissable drama and one I'm very proud to have on ITV."
Who stars in The Blame?
Michelle Keegan, who's known for her roles in Fool Me Once and Brassic, stars as DI Emma Crane, alongside Douglas Booth (The Sandman, The Dirt) as DI Tom Radley.
They're joined by an impressive cast of stars, including Ian Hart (Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, Shetland) as DCI Kenneth Walker, Nathan Mensah as DC Lewis, Nigel Boyle (Line of Duty, Peaky Blinders) as digital forensic technician Brett Shergill, Joe Armstrong (Gentleman Jack, Happy Valley) as ice-skating coach Kyle Frasier and Matilda Freeman (How to get to heaven from Belfast, Passenger) as Sophie Madsen.
Rounding out the cast are Gavin Spokes (House of the Dragon, Slow Horses), Josh Bolt (Masters of the Air, Last Tango in Halifax), Ceallach Spellman (Cheaters, White Lines), who play members of the Wakestead Police team, DC Joel Stevens, DC Douglas James and PC Callum Drummond.
When will the show be released?
ITV has yet to announce a release date for the show, which starts filming in and around London this summer.