The BBC is bringing ‘The Witch Farm‘ to the screen, turning Danny Robins’ hit paranormal podcast into a new four-part supernatural drama for BBC One and iPlayer.
Set in the Welsh countryside and inspired by real events, the series stars Gabrielle Creevy (The Guest, Black Doves) and Michael Socha (Showtrial, What It Feels Like For A Girl) as Liz and Bill Rich, a couple who leave London in 1989 for a remote farmhouse in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, hoping for a fresh start. Instead, they find themselves caught up in an increasingly terrifying haunting that begins during a traumatic home birth and only grows more disturbing from there.
The drama comes from Mammoth Screen, the company behind Towards Zero and Code of Silence, and is written by Danny Robins, whose BBC paranormal work has become hugely popular through projects such as Uncanny, The Battersea Poltergeist, and 2:22 – A Ghost Story. In adapting the story for television, the BBC says some characters, elements, and chronology have been changed for dramatic purposes, but the series remains rooted in the real case explored in the original podcast.
The setup sounds like it could make for a very strong TV adaptation, mixing ghost story chills with mystery and relationship drama. As Bill and Liz begin trying to understand what is happening inside the house, they are drawn into the buried history of the land itself, while their own marriage starts to fracture under the pressure. That blend of emotional drama and supernatural dread feels very much in Robins’ wheelhouse.
Robins said: “Making the original podcast series of The Witch Farm was an exciting, thrill-ride in itself – finding a real-life case that – just maybe – comes close to answering that biggest of all questions, ‘do ghosts exist?’. Now things are getting even more exciting, as we evolve the story into a TV drama with this fantastic cast and the brilliant director Stacey Gregg. Get ready for a supernatural thriller that plays out as the most deliciously dark detective story – an emotional rollercoaster that will have you gripped, moved and spine-tingled. I can’t wait to spook you out.”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, added: “Taking BBC Drama viewers into the hugely popular world of Danny’s podcasts for the first time is incredibly exciting, and in Gabrielle and Michael we have the perfect leads. Whether you’re already a fan of Danny’s work or are coming to the story of The Witch Farm for the first time, be prepared for some scares!”
James Gandhi, executive producer for Mammoth Screen, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing Danny Robins’s The Witch Farm to the screen. Danny is a master storyteller, and we hope this will thrill and terrify the BBC audience. We couldn’t be happier to have Stacey Gregg directing, and Gabrielle and Michael leading the cast!”
Stacey Gregg directs the series, with Megan Ott producing. Executive producers include Simon Barnard, Stacey Gregg and Danny Robins, alongside James Gandhi and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, and Nawfal Faizullah and Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC. The series is being made with support from Creative Wales, and ITV Studios will handle international distribution.
‘The Witch Farm‘ does not yet have a premiere date but will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. 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. Visit Never Miss.
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