Clockwise from top left: Ella Lily Highland, Aidan Gillen, Philippa Dunne, Chris Addison, Stuart Carolan, Packy Lee
BBC Northern Ireland and RTÉ have joined forces to commission ‘Tall Tales & Murder‘, a brand-new darkly comedic crime drama based on the “Dublin Trilogy” by author Caimh McDonnell. The show has been given a two-season order and is set to premiere in 2026.
Filming has already kicked off in the Republic of Ireland, with the 12-part series (split into two six-episode seasons) being produced by Avalon (Breeders, Catastrophe) in association with Metropolitan Pictures (KIN), and supported by Screen Ireland. International distribution will be handled by Avalon.
The show is the brainchild of Stuart Carolan, best known for creating RTÉ’s hit crime drama Love/Hate, and is co-created with Chris Addison, the award-winning creator whose work includes Veep, Breeders and The Thick of It. It features a cast that includes Ella Lily Hyland (Black Doves), Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones), Philippa Dunne (Derry Girls), and Packy Lee (Peaky Blinders).
Set in modern Ireland, Tall Tales & Murder blends fast-paced storytelling, offbeat humour and gritty crime. According to writer and executive producer Stuart Carolan, “I’ve been a fan of the brilliant Chris Addison since The Thick of It – it’s been incredible fun working with him to bring this insane story to life.”
The Dublin Trilogy novels (which McDonnell describes as “increasingly inaccurately titled” as there are currently four books…), which begin with A Man With One of Those Faces, follow Paul Mulchrone, a hapless yet well-meaning man who, along with an acerbic nurse and a grizzled former detective, finds himself repeatedly swept up in increasingly bizarre and deadly criminal escapades across Dublin. Known for mixing sharp satire, dark humour, and fast-paced plots, the books have built a cult following, and Tall Tales & Murder looks set to channel that same chaotic energy.
Director and co-creator Chris Addison added: “I’m frankly giddy with delight to get to team up with the twisted and highly original mind of Stuart Carolan to create this show. We’ve taken Caimh’s wonderful novel as a jumping off point and ended up with what I like to think of as a dark and delicious screwball drama.”
David Crean, Head of Drama at RTÉ, said the project is “part of an unprecedented slate of original Irish drama in production from RTÉ,” adding: “The scripts are fantastic, as is the cast. RTÉ is excited to be collaborating with such brilliant broadcast partners to bring this great series to audiences on a national and international stage.”
Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland, echoed the excitement, describing it as “storytelling at its darkest, funniest and most surreal.” He added: “We’re looking forward to bringing audiences with us on this wild and thrilling ride.”
Rob Aslett, Executive Producer for Avalon, praised the “brilliant cast led by Ella, Aidan, Philippa and Packy,” while Kate McColgan of Screen Ireland called the series “a brilliant showcase for some of our best-known actors alongside some exciting new stars.”
The production team includes executive producers Chris Addison, Stuart Carolan, Rob Aslett, Richard Allen-Turner, and Jon Thoday for Avalon, with David McLoughlin and Catherine Tiernan for Metropolitan Pictures. Caroline Norris is series producer, Gemma O’Shaughnessy serves as producer, and directing duties will be shared between Chris Addison and Neasa Hardiman.
With its compelling mix of crime, chaos and comedy, and a top-tier creative team behind it, Tall Tales & Murder is shaping up to be a standout addition to the Irish drama landscape.
‘Tall Tales & Murder‘ is due to premiere in 2026. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date.
