ITV has commissioned ‘The Only Suspect’, a new four-part psychological thriller led by Kevin McKidd (Grey’s Anatomy, Highlander), with Simon Ashdown (Our House, Trigger Point, Funland) adapting the bestselling novel by Louise Candlish.
Set in a seemingly quiet London suburb, the drama centres on Alex and Beth, a devoted couple whose comfortable life hides a dark secret that is about to claw its way back to the surface. The story moves between the present day and mid-90s Camden, with a body buried during a violent storm in the summer of 1995, and the mystery of who died and why hanging over everything that follows.
Three decades later, that buried past starts to look dangerously close to being uncovered. The abandoned railway line where the body was hidden is being turned into a nature trail, a project being championed by Beth herself. For the neighbourhood, it is a feel-good local transformation. For Alex, it is a disaster waiting to happen, because he is the man who buried the body.
That setup alone sounds like exactly the sort of tense suburban thriller ITV does well, and there is already some solid pedigree behind it too. Red Planet Pictures, the company behind ITV’s hit adaptation of Candlish’s Our House, is producing, with Farren Blackburn directing and Sumrah Mohammed producing. Given how well Our House landed with viewers, it is not hard to see why ITV would be keen to return to Candlish’s brand of twisty domestic suspense.
McKidd said: “Working with ITV on The Only Suspect feels like coming home for me. As an actor, the complex and multilayered role of Alex is exciting to explore and I can’t wait to collaborate with Farren, the whole team at Red Planet Pictures and an amazing ensemble of great British actors.”
ITV Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair-Jones added: “Once again, Simon Ashdown has woven a thrilling story from Louise Candlish’s bestselling novel that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Brilliantly produced by the team at Red Planet, The Only Suspect promises to deliver a gripping story full of shocking revelations and twists. It promises to be a real treat for the ITV and ITVX audience.”
Tom Mullens for Red Planet Pictures also said: “The Only Suspect is another riveting thriller from the prolific pen of Louise Candlish and after the success of Our House, we’re excited to be working with Simon Ashdown and ITV once again. We’re also thrilled to have Kevin McKidd leading a brilliant cast and Farren Blackburn on board as director to bring this twisting tale of a man trying to escape his past, to life.”
ITV has not announced a supporting cast yet, but filming is due to begin in London this spring, so there is a good chance more names will follow soon. Between the dual timelines, the buried body, the false identity, and the pressure cooker of a secret ready to explode, this has the makings of another very watchable Candlish adaptation.
‘The Only Suspect’ does not yet have a premiere date but will air on ITV 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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