After debuting in the U.K., James Graham’s drama inspired by real-life events is coming to the U.S.
Ahead of her anticipated portrayal of Princess Margaret in the final two seasons of The Crown, Lesley Manville is taking on another real-life saga: the 2004 murders in Nottinghamshire, England. And only ET has the exclusive first look at the series written by James Graham, who draws from his firsthand experiences of growing up in the mining village.
In Sherwood, Manville plays Julie Jackson, the wife of a former union activist, whose murder kicks off this drama about a small, fractured community shattered by two unexpected killings and the manhunt that followed. The investigation also unearths historic divisions among lifelong neighbors and the police force that resulted from a union strike three decades before.
In addition to Manville, the cast also includes David Morrissey as Detective Chief Superintendent Ian St Clair, a highly respected officer in Nottingham who is tasked with investigating the brutal murder, and Joanne Froggatt as Sarah Vincent, a politically active councillor who was deeply affected by the mining strikes.
For Graham, who also wrote Quiz and Brexit: The Uncivil War, the series is a mix of genres. While not quite a true-crime story, it’s a whodunnit inspired by real events. It’s a crime thriller but not a typical procedural. Yet, the contemporary drama is something deeply personal and thrilling at the same time. And for the writer, it’s hopefully what makes it compelling to audiences.
Sherwood, which has been renewed for a second season by the BBC, is just the latest drama ripped from the headlines to join the BritBox streaming platform, giving American audiences a chance to catch up on the best of British TV.
In addition to Sherwood, BritBox revealed that Stonehouse, a series about a member of parliament who tried to fake his own death starring Matthew Macfadyen and his wife, Keeley Hawes, as well as Karen Pirie, the TV adaptation of Val McDermid’s detective novels, are among the slate of genre-defining series and specials on the horizon.
Additionally, BritBox also announced that Jason Isaacs will star in Archie, a drama series about Cary Grant written by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jeff Pope. The series, which will explore Grant’s troubled life before he was a star, also has the blessing of the actor’s daughter, Jennifer Grant, and his ex-wife Dyan Cannon.
The news came during the streaming platform’s presentation at TCA, where CEO of BritBox International Reemah Sakaan shared the latest news and developments from its upcoming slate.
“BritBox is the platinum standard for trusted British entertainment, the only streaming connoisseur who creates and curates this level of extraordinary storytelling. We attract the very best British talent and creatives of all ages because they know what a truly loyal and targeted fan base BritBox has built globally,” Sakaan said. “We know our audience and what they want, which results in projects that are riveting, entertaining, and overall, unmissable.”
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