Alibi commissions new original crime drama
Details
Editor
| 12 June 2023
British broadcaster UKTV has grown its catalogue of original drama with the latest commission of The Red King, created and written by Toby Whithouse, for its dedicated crime drama channel Alibi.
Albi UKTV 12June2023
Produced by Quay Street Productions in association with ITV Studios, which will handle international distribution, and supported by North East Screen, the 6x60’ series is a character-driven mystery-thriller, that combines the powerful story of a knotty police investigation with chilling, atmospheric folk-horror through a small, antiquated island eerie past devotion to a pagan God called the Red King and the cult of the True Way.

It features capable and by the book officer Grace Narayan (Anjli Mohindra) who was flying high as an inner-city police sergeant before being forced into a ‘punishment posting’ on the island of St. Jory. Confronted by the forgotten and unsolved case of missing teenage boy Cai, Grace quickly discovers that she must overcome scarce evidence, extraordinary local characters, and the island’s strange cult history to uncover the truth.

In addition to Mohindra, it features Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte) as Lady Heather Nancarrow and Marc Warren (Van Der Valk) as Dr Ian Prideaux. Other cast members include Jill Halfpenny, Mark Lewis Jones, Oliver Ryan and Sam Swainsbury.

Executive producers are Nicola Shindler (Nolly, It’s A Sin, Stay Close) and Davina Earl (Men Up, Safe, Come Home) for Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios), Philippa Collie Cousins for UKTV and Toby Whithouse. The series will be directed by Daniel O’Hara (Stay Close, The Stranger, Brassic), who is also executive producer, and produced by Guy Hescott (Without Sin, Whitstable Pearl).

Commenting on the new commission, Whithouse said: “Working with Quay Street and UKTV has been a genuine joy. This has been a passion project for all of us. A genre bending mystery, combining drama, suspense and horror, starring some of the best actors in television. We're so excited to share these characters and their stories with you.”

UKTV director of commissioning Hilary Rosen added: “Toby Whithouse has created a clever and ambitious crime drama set in a vivid island location, and this dark and original tale will have audiences gripped. We are delighted to be collaborating once again with Nicola Shindler and her fantastic team at Quay Street Productions.”