L-R: Jess Alexander (Image: Colette Slater Barrass / Coco Photo Studios), Honor Swinton Byrne (Image: Phil Sharp), Omari Douglas (Image: Phil Sharp), Paul Forman (Image: Florian Saez), Arthur Hughes, Ralf Little (Image: Joseph Sinclair), River Medway (Image: Tom Buck), Katherine Parkinson, Natalie Quarry (Image: Tom Ringsby), Toby Stephens (Image: Hugo Glendinning)
The BBC and BritBox have unveiled another suitably impressive batch of casting for ‘Hercule’, their forthcoming Agatha Christie drama starring Edward Bluemel (‘My Lady Jane’) as the iconic Belgian detective. Ten more actors are joining the six-part series, while the broadcasters have also confirmed a second Christie novel heading for the adaptation. Poirot’s little grey cells are clearly going to have plenty to keep them occupied.
The newly announced story is ‘Peril at End House’, which joins the previously revealed ‘Lord Edgware Dies’. The series will draw on three of Christie’s early stories, so there is still another mystery to be unveiled before this particular collection is complete.
Among the new arrivals are Katherine Parkinson (‘Rivals’, ‘Here We Go’), Ralf Little (‘Death in Paradise’, ‘The Royle Family’) and Toby Stephens (‘Black Sails’, ‘Jane Eyre’). That gives the production a healthy helping of comedy, crime-solving experience and swashbuckling credentials, although the BBC hasn’t revealed who any of these latest additions will be playing.
They are joined by Jessica Alexander (‘The Beauty’, ‘The Return of Stanley Atwell’), Honor Swinton Byrne (‘The Souvenir’, ‘War’) and Omari Douglas (‘Black Doves’, ‘It’s A Sin’), alongside Paul Forman (‘Emily in Paris’, ‘Stags’) and Arthur Hughes (‘Shardlake’, ‘Then Barbara Met Alan’).
Completing the newly announced line-up are River Medway (‘Here & Now’, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’) and Natalie Quarry (‘Call the Midwife’, ‘Think of England’). With the character details still under wraps, viewers will have to wait a little longer before working out who might be helping Poirot, hindering him, or attracting his suspicions.
Currently filming primarily in Liverpool, ‘Hercule’ follows the detective on his journey towards becoming the world’s greatest sleuth. Alongside its Christie mysteries, the drama promises a closer look at Poirot himself, set against a broader portrait of Britain between the wars.
Alongside the cases, that approach gives the series room to explore the man behind the famously meticulous investigations. It will also introduce Poirot to future friends and allies, along with a particular nemesis. The announcement is keeping that last detail tantalisingly vague, so there’s another piece of the puzzle to ponder.
Benji Walters (‘Code of Silence’, ‘The Leopard’, ‘Obsession’) has written the series. Directing duties are split across its six hour-long episodes, with Jonny Campbell (‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’, ‘In The Flesh’) taking the opening two instalments.
Chanya Button (‘Code of Silence’, ‘Doctor Who’) directs the middle pair, while Alrick Riley (‘Bridgerton’, ‘How to Get Away with Murder’) handles the final two episodes. Charlie Palmer (‘A Woman Of Substance’, ‘Extraordinary’) serves as series producer.
The production comes from Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, and Agatha Christie Limited, with Fifth Season handling global distribution. Christie’s Poirot novels have sold more than 750 million copies, so there is certainly no shortage of readers who know their way around his investigations.
For UK viewers, the new series will arrive on BBC iPlayer and BBC One, while BritBox will carry it in North America. With two of its three stories now confirmed and this latest cast announcement adding another ten names, the picture is gradually coming together, even if Poirot would probably prefer everyone to stop withholding clues.
‘Hercule’ premieres in 2027 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK, and on BritBox in North America.
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