‘Bloodlands’: Crime Drama Starring James Nesbitt From EP Jed Mercurio Gets Feb Premiere On BBC One
‘Bloodlands‘, a new original crime thriller starring James Nesbitt, exec produced by ‘Bodyguard’ and ‘Line of Duty’ creator Jed Mercurio, will premiere this February the BBC has announced.
The story begins when a car is pulled from Strangford Lough, the owner kidnapped. DCI Tom Brannick (James Nesbitt) recognises the calling card of a legendary assassin known as Goliath. The legend goes that he was a serving police officer who vanished without trace 20 years ago – and among his original victims was Tom’s wife.
Against opposition from old friend DCS Jackie Twomey (Lorcan Cranitch), Brannick and his partner, DS Niamh McGovern (Charlene McKenna), break open the Goliath case in the hope that it will help them solve the kidnapping. As they dig deeper, they find gaps in the original Goliath investigation. Someone tried to suppress the truth. When a vital clue leads them out to an island on Strangford Lough, a discovery is made that changes everything.
The series is written by Chris Brandon, with ‘Bloodlands’ being his first original drama series commission, but working under the guidance of ‘Bodyguard’ and ‘Line Of Duty’ creator Jed Mercurio. The series is produced by HTM Television, which is co-owned by Mercurio and Hat Trick Productions (‘Flack’, ‘Derry Girls’, ‘Doctor Thorne’).
‘Bloodlands’ was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama and Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC Content. The executive producers are Jed Mercurio, Jimmy Mulville and Mark Redhead for HTM Television and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC. It is directed by Pete Travis (‘Omagh’, ‘The Go-Between’) and produced by Christopher Hall (‘The Durrells’, ‘Critical’). It is produced with funding from Northern Ireland Screen and was filmed in and around Belfast and Strangford Lough.
“In Bloodlands Chris has crafted a cracking contemporary thriller which manages to be both completely gripping while shining a light on to the legacy of the troubles in contemporary Northern Ireland,” commented Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. “We are thrilled to be working with Chris, Jimmy, Jed and the team at HTM to bring this visceral story to BBC One.”
‘Bloodlands‘ will premiere Sunday, 21st February 2021 at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
