Cold Water, a six part thriller set in a fictional Scottish village has been commissioned by ITV head of drama Polly Hill.
Written by David Ireland the new thriller will star Andrew Lincoln, Ewen Bremner, Indira Varma and Eve Myles.
Lee Haven Jones will direct the first three episodes, which will be made by production company Sister.
David Ireland said: “Cold Water started with a question I was asking myself. Where do I want to live – the countryside or the city? Such an innocent beginning, but from it came this dark, funny, twisted thriller. I was delighted when Sister loved the script and thrilled when ITV decided to commission it. And I’m amazed we’ve managed to attract such a peerless cast, led by the formidable Andrew Lincoln. I hope viewers will be find it intoxicating.”
The drama follows a middle aged man, John, played by Lincoln, who escapes London to live in the small Scottish community of Coldwater where he befriends Tommy (Bremner) the husband of the local vicar Rebecca (Myles). Tommy is the leader of the village all male book group and is regarded with suspicion by John’s wife Fiona, who is hoping to create a new restaurant and repair her ailing marriage.
Polly Hill, head of ITV drama said: “We are very excited for ITV to be the home for this brilliant new thriller exploring masculinity, religion and ultimately murder. David’s scripts are wonderful, and original and have attracted an incredible cast led by Andrew Lincoln. It promises to be a really unmissable drama and I am delighted to be working with Jane Featherstone again and her brilliant team at Sister.”
Chris Fry, Managing Director of Sister said: “The rural idyll of Coldwater is at first glance a place where nothing bad could ever happen, but you know with David’s bold, subversive writing darkness is always lurking just beneath the surface. David is a master of crafting morally complex characters that you feel utterly compelled to watch, and we can’t put these scripts down. Led by the incredible Andrew Lincoln, Ewen Bremner, Indira Varma and Eve Myles, Cold Water is a thriller that will surprise, horrify and delight in equal measure.”
Filming is due to start in late 2024.
