ITV has announced The Only Suspect, which it describes as a “suspenseful” and “compulsive” psychological thriller, starring Kevin McKidd (who you’ll probably recognise from Grey’s Anatomy and ITV detective series Six Four).
Based on the award-winning original novel from author Louise Candlish, and adapted by Simon Ashdown (Our House), the broadcaster has said that the drama’s script is “packed full of Candlish’s trademark whiplash plot twists and turns that keep viewers enthralled, delivering an intoxicating blend of emotional punch and edge-of-your-seat tension, highlighting two starkly contrasting eras”.
According to The Only Suspect’s synopsis, the story is set in a London suburb, moving between two timelines: the present day and mid-90s Camden, said to be at the height of Cool Britannia.
ITV
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Following its central characters Alex and Beth, described as a “a devoted couple” whose picture-perfect life hides “a devastating truth”.
“The story opens during the sweltering summer of 1995, when a young man buries a body during a violent storm,” the plot description reads. “Who the victim is, and why they were killed, is a mystery that tantalisingly threads through the narrative as past and present collide.
“Thirty years later, another heatwave grips a very different world. The abandoned railway track where the body was hidden – running behind Alex and Beth’s street – is being transformed into a nature trail, spearheaded by Beth herself. What is a triumph for the neighbourhood instead threatens catastrophe for Alex.”
Alex, it’s revealed, is the young man who buried the body. “Having spent decades living under an assumed name, Alex now faces the unravelling of everything he has built,” the synopsis continues. “As diggers prepare to break ground on the very spot where his secret lies, his carefully constructed life spirals – and he must decide how far he is willing to go to keep the truth buried.”
Also described as “a gripping, twisting thriller”, The Only Suspect is sure to be an enticing watch when it finally hits our screens.
“Working with ITV on The Only Suspect feels like coming home for me,” Kevin McKidd said in a statement, along with the show’s announcement. “As an actor, the complex and multilayered role of Alex is exciting to explore and I can’t wait to collaborate with [director] Farren, the whole team at Red Planet Pictures and an amazing ensemble of great British actors.”
Filming is expected to begin this spring.
The Only Suspect is coming to ITV.
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TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Â Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK’s biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. Â As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world’s oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).Â