ITV’s director of drama, Polly Hill, has commissioned The Blame, a gripping new series set to have audiences on the edge of their seats.
Produced by acclaimed Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios) and written, developed for television and executive produced by Megan Gallagher (All Her Fault, Wolf), The Blame sees Quay Street reunite with Michelle Keegan (Fool Me Once, Brassic – pictured left), alongside Douglas Booth (The Sandman, The Dirt – pictured right) as DI Tom Radley and Ian Hart (Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, The Last Kingdom), who is DCI Kenneth Walker.
The Blame promises complex characters, unexpected twists and a mystery at its core. The drama dives into secrets, suspicion and systemic corruption – all under the surface of a seemingly quiet town.
The six-part series sees Keegan and Quay Street take a break from their regular Manchester stalking grounds for the shoot, and is being filmed in and around London for ITV1 and STV, with streaming available on ITVX and STV Player. The Blame is filmed in association with FIFTH SEASON, which will also handle global distribution.
Also among the stellar ensemble cast are rising star Nathan Mensah as DC Lewis, Nigel Boyle (Line of Duty, Peaky Blinders) is digital forensic technician Brett Shergill, Joe Armstrong (Gentleman Jack, Black Mirror) plays ice-skating coach Kyle Frasier, and Matilda Freeman (How to get to Heaven from Belfast, Passenger) is Sophie Madsen. Gavin Spokes (House of the Dragon, Slow Horses), Josh Bolt (Masters of the Air, Last Tango in Halifax), Ceallach Spellman (Cheaters, White Lines) are part of the Wakestead Police team as DC Joel Stevens, DC Douglas James and PC Callum Drummond.
The series begins when the body of teenage figure skater Sophie Madsen is discovered, sending shockwaves through the town of Wakestead. As DI Crane (Keegan) and DI Radley (Booth) dig deeper, what starts as a tragic death, spirals into a tangled web of lies, institutional cover-ups, and moral compromise. As the clock ticks and trust fractures, Crane must navigate both a murder investigation and the treacherous politics inside her own team.
ITV’s Director of Drama, Polly Hill, will oversee production of The Blame. She said: “The Blame is a brilliant new crime thriller full of surprising twists and a compelling investigation that also cleverly tackles police corruption, exploitation and misogyny as the thriller unravels. Megan is such a wonderful and clever writer, and with Michelle Keegan in the lead and Nicola Shindler at the helm, this is going to be an unmissable drama and one I’m very proud to have on ITV.”
Nicola Shindler and Richard Fee, executive producers for Quay Street Productions, added: “We are so delighted to be working with Megan again, she is an exceptional writer who has written a compelling series taking viewers on a twisty journey to discover what really happened through the lens of a contemporary police station brimming with secrets, corruption, and betrayal. We are also thrilled at the brilliant cast led by Michelle and Douglas, who will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering who to trust at a time when the themes explored in The Blame are more relevant than ever.”
Lead writer and executive producer Gallagher said: “The Blame is such an important and urgent story to tell; I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to bring Charlotte Langley’s world and characters to life on screen. It’s my second collaboration with Quay Street Productions, and it’s great to be working with the team again – I’m truly in the best hands.”
Based on the debut novel of the same name by Charlotte Langley (The Intrusion), The Blame is a 6 x 60-minute Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios) drama for ITV. Matt Strevens (Capital, Cucumber) is the series producer, with Sara Huxley as co-producer. Bex Rycroft (The Crow Girl, Screw) will be the director for episodes 1-3, and Claire Tailyour (The Wives, Beyond Paradise) for episodes 4-6. Executive producers for Quay Street Productions are Nicola Shindler (Nolly, It’s A Sin) and Richard Fee (Fool Me Once, Missing You). Polly Hill is executive producer for ITV. The Blame is developed for television by Megan Gallagher, who is executive producer and lead writer alongside series co-writers Ashley Sanders and Namsi Khan.
The Blame starts filming this summer in and around London and is produced by Quay Street Productions.
