ITV teases ‘twisty’ new thriller from Death in Paradise team based on best-seller
ITV has commissioned a gripping new four-part crime thriller starring Grey's Anatomy actor Kevin McKidd, and it comes from the producers behind Death in Paradise.
ITV has greenlit a gripping new crime thriller from the brilliant minds behind Death in Paradise.
Grey’s Anatomy and Highlander star Kevin McKidd is set to headline the brand new crime thriller, titled The Only Suspect. The series, which will place the former medical drama actor front and centre, has been adapted by Simon Ashdown from the novel by Louise Candlish and will be produced by Red Planet Pictures, the team also behind Death in Paradise.
Set in a quiet, suburban pocket of London, the story revolves around Alex and Beth, an outwardly contented couple whose picture-perfect life hides a sinister secret. The narrative weaves between the present day and Camden in the mid-1990s, at the peak of Cool Britannia.
The tale kicks off in the summer of 1995, when a young man covertly buries a body during a fierce storm. The identity of the victim and the motive behind the act remain shrouded in mystery, gradually unravelling as the timelines converge throughout the series, reports the Express.
The creators of Death in Paradise have produced a brand new drama for ITV(Image: BBC)
Three decades on, another heatwave descends, and the disused railway line where the body was concealed, running behind Alex and Beth’s home, is earmarked to be transformed into a nature trail, a project spearheaded by Beth.
However, what ought to be a welcome development for the local community instead threatens to drag Alex’s murky past into the open. Alex, portrayed by actor Kevin, is the man responsible for burying the body.
Having spent years concealing his true identity, he now faces the prospect of losing everything he has worked to establish. With construction work set to commence on the burial site, his meticulously crafted life begins to crumble, pushing him to question just how far he will go to protect his dark secret.
Kevin McKidd stars in the new drama(Image: ITV)
The series promises a gripping, twist-laden narrative, delving into themes of obsession, betrayal, deception and the enduring fallout of youthful recklessness. Staying faithful to Candlish’s trademark style, the adaptation is laden with shocking twists and raw emotional intensity, weaving between two contrasting eras.
Actor Kevin, best known for his role as Dr. Owen Hunt in Grey’s Anatomy, revealed he was thrilled to take on the complex part of Alex.
He 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.”
The actor was known for his role in Grey’s Anatomy(Image: Getty)
Meanwhile, Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair-Jones heaped praise on the adaptation for its tension, saying: “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.”
The four-part drama will be executive-produced by Belinda Campbell and Tom Mullens for Red Planet Pictures.
Tom Mullens, on behalf of Red Planet Pictures, 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.”
Production on The Only Suspect is scheduled to kick off in London this spring.
