Viewers can't wait for ITV's 'edge-of-your-seat' crime drama with Shetland star


Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth star in The Blame, ITV's upcoming crime drama based on the novel by Charlotte Langley


two actors holding clapperboard© Quay Street Productions / Instagram
Nicky Morris
Nicky MorrisActing TV and Film Editor
38 minutes ago
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Filming has wrapped on ITV's upcoming drama, The Blame, according to its lead star Michelle Keegan, who celebrated the news with a post to Instagram, sparking excitement among viewers. 

The six-parter, which is billed as a "gripping" series that will have viewers on the "edge of their seats", is set in a seemingly quiet town, where two detectives investigate the shocking murder of a teenage figure skater. It's based on the debut novel of the same name by Charlotte Langley.

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Michelle, known for her roles in Our Girl and Fool Me Once, stars as DI Emma Crane, alongside Douglas Booth (The Sandman, The Dirt) as DI Tom Radley and Ian Hart (Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, Shetland) as DCI Kenneth Walker. 

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Michelle shared a carousel of behind-the-scenes snaps, including one of her and co-star Nathan Mensah (who plays DC Lewis) holding a clapper board. In the caption, the Brassic actress penned: "The final week filming The Blame. 'IT'S A WRAP!'"

WATCH: Michelle Keegan stars in Fool Me Once - have you seen it?

Viewers wasted no time expressing their excitement in the comments section, with one person writing: "We need a date. I want to be watching as soon as it's OUTTT!!" while another added: "I cannot wait for this."

Michelle Keegan smiling in a grey jumper while on a sofa© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

Michelle Keegan leads the cast

Why I'll be watching the series

While the cast alone is enough to get excited about, with the likes of Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth at the helm, the series also comes from Manchester-based Quay Street Productions, which has an impressive slate of compelling thrillers, including the BBC's The Guest, Disney+'s The Stolen Girl and several Harlan Coben adaptations, including Netflix's upcoming New Year's Day release, Run Away. 

Meanwhile, Bex Rycroft, who directed episodes of the nail-biting thriller The Crow Girl, will be the director for episodes one to three, while Claire Tailyour (The Wives, Beyond Paradise) will direct the final three. 

Plus, the drama is penned by Megan Gallagher, who is no stranger to bringing gripping, twisty stories to the small screen, having created the acclaimed thrillers All Her Fault and Wolf. It's safe to say viewers are in for an entertaining watch!

Michelle Keegan and Nathan Mensah holding clapperboard behind the scenes of The Blame© @michkeegan/Instagram

Filming has wrapped on the series

What to expect from The Blame

The action takes place in the seemingly quiet town of Wakefield, where the body of teenage figure skater Sophie Madsen is discovered. With shockwaves sent through the town, DI Crane and DI Radley begin to investigate. What starts as a tragic death spirals into a tangled web of lies, institutional cover-ups, and moral compromise. 

The synopsis continues: "As the clock ticks and trust fractures, Crane must navigate both a murder investigation and the treacherous politics inside her own team."

The series promises "complex characters, unexpected twists and a mystery at its core", while ITV's Director of Drama, Polly Hill, who is overseeing production, described the story as a "brilliant" crime thriller filled with "surprising twists and a compelling investigation", while also cleverly tackling "police corruption, exploitation and misogyny". 

Ian Hart joins as Euan Rossi in Shetland© Robert Pereira Hind

Ian Hart (pictured in Shetland) also stars

Who else stars in The Blame?

Starring alongside Michelle, Douglas and Ian is a cast of familiar faces, including Nathan Mensah as DC Lewis, Nigel Boyle (Line of Duty, Peaky Blinders) as digital forensic technician Brett Shergill, Joe Armstrong (Gentleman Jack, Black Mirror) 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) and Ceallach Spellman (Cheaters, White Lines), who play DC Joel Stevens, DC Douglas James and PC Callum Drummond.  

Michelle Keegan behind the scenes of The Blame© @michkeegan/Instagram

The Blame is expected to air in 2026

When will the series arrive on screens?

Considering filming has only just wrapped on the series, which was shot in and around London, we'd expect the series to arrive sometime in 2026. 

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