The BBC has revealed first-look images and an expanded cast for a new crime drama from acclaimed Northern playwright and screenwriter Jim Cartwright – and it comes with a decidedly unusual sleuth at its centre.
The Hairdresser Mysteries, which arrives on BBC One and iPlayer in July, stars Sally Phillips as Lily Petal, a former city hairdresser who swaps urban life for a salon at the top of a cobbled village street.
But while Lily may have left the rat race behind, she soon finds herself at the centre of a community packed with secrets, revelations and mysteries.
Created by Cartwright, the Lancashire-born writer behind Road, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and King of the Teds, the six-part series is infused with what the BBC, which announced massive cuts yesterday, describes as an “upbeat 1970s spirit” and follows Lily as she uses her “hairdressing intuitive, empathy and understanding” to solve crimes.
Joining Phillips is a cast packed with familiar television faces. Former Coronation Street star Charlotte Jordan plays Clary Coombs, Lily’s assistant, described as the “Watson to her Shear-lock Holmes”, while Ben Castle-Gibb takes on the role of PC Adam Watson, a young village police officer who falls for Clary.
Also joining the cast are Sunetra Sarker as village gossip Wincey Evans, Clive Rowe as flamboyant charity shop manager Lonnie, and Guy Henry as eccentric antiques dealer Race Runard.
Meanwhile, another familiar face from Coronation Street, Wendi Peters, will appear as guest character Gloria Crudd, a newcomer hoping to start afresh in the village before her past catches up with her.
The series continues the popularity of cosy crime dramas on British television, but with a distinctly quirky twist.
According to the BBC: “Everyone tells their hairdresser everything and soon she becomes the hub of her new village’s secrets and revelations.”
The Hairdresser Mysteries has been created by Cartwright, who also serves as lead writer. The series is produced by Mill Bay Media, with international distribution handled by Sphere Abacus. The six-part drama will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in July.
