The BBC has set a May UK premiere date for ‘Rebus‘, a new series based on the best-selling Inspector Rebus novels by Ian Rankin, starring ‘Outlander’s Richard Rankin (no relation!)
Written for screen by Gregory Burke (’71, Six Four), ‘Rebus’ reimagines the iconic character John Rebus as a younger Detective Sergeant, drawn into a violent criminal conflict that turns personal when his brother Michael, a former soldier, crosses the line.
Richard Rankin as John Rebus
Shaken after a violent encounter with gangster Ger Cafferty, Edinburgh detective John Rebus (Rankin) finds himself at a psychological crossroads. At odds with a job increasingly driven by corporate technocrats, involved in a toxic affair he knows he needs to end, and all but supplanted in his daughter’s life by his ex-wife’s wealthy new husband, Rebus begins to wonder if he still has a role to play – either as a family man or a police officer.
In a time of divisive politics and national discord, Rebus’s ex-soldier brother Michael, who’s broke, desperately crosses the line in order to provide for his family, and Rebus starts to question if the law still has meaning, or if everyone is reverting to an older set of rules. And if so, why shouldn’t he do so too?
Brian Ferguson as Michael and Richard Rankin as John Rebus
The drama stars Richard Rankin (Outlander, The Replacement) in the titular role, Brian Ferguson (The Ipcress File, Spanish Princess) as John’s brother, Michael, and Lucie Shorthouse (Line of Duty, Ten Percent) as Rebus’s investigation partner, Detective Constable Siobhan Clarke. The cast also include Amy Manson (The Nevers, The Diplomat), Neshla Caplan (The Rig, Scot Squad), Noof Ousellam (Vigil, Guilt), Stuart Bowman (The Serpent, Bodyguard), Caroline Lee Johnson (Trying, Ridley), Sean Buchanan (Censor, Mary Queen of Scots), Thoren Ferguson (The Midwich Cuckoos) and Michelle Duncan (Baptise, Elizabeth is Missing).
‘Rebus’ is written by Gregory Burke and is adapted from the best-selling novels by Ian Rankin. The six-part series is directed by Niall MacCormick (Complicit, The Victim, Wallander) and Fiona Walton (Shetland, Annika) and is produced by Angela Murray. Eleventh Hour Films’ Paula Cuddy, Jill Green and Eve Gutierrez are the Executive Producers of the series, alongside Tomas Axelsson and Isabelle Hultén for Viaplay, director Niall MacCormick, writer Gregory Burke and author Ian Rankin. Rebus is produced by Eleventh Hour Films and is distributed internationally by Viaplay Content Distribution. This production of Rebus was supported by Screen Scotland.
‘Rebus‘ premieres Friday, 17 May 2024 with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer from 6am. Episode one will also air on BBC Scotland on Friday 17 May and on BBC One on Saturday 18 May.
Lucie Shorthouse as Siobhan Clarke and Richard Rankin as John Rebus
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