Toby Jones, David Morrissey and Jill Halfpenny are amongst the cast for ITV’s new true crime drama, The Long Shadow.
The 7×60 minute series is described as “the definitive depiction” of the 5 year hunt for serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe.
Written by award-winning screenwriter, George Kay (Hijack, Criminal: UK) and directed by BAFTA-winning director Lewis Arnold (Sherwood, Time, Des), the New Pictures drama airs on ITV1 and ITVX next month.
“George’s scripts and Lewis’ direction together with this wonderful cast have produced a sensitive and brilliant drama that we are proud to have on ITV,” said ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill.
The drama puts the victims, their families and the survivors at the heart of the show, following meticulous research and drawing upon the most extensive archive of the investigation, comprising of hundreds of case files, interview transcripts and police reports.
The series is also based on Wicked Beyond Belief, Michael Bilton’s critically acclaimed account of the case, published by William Collins.
Toby Jones will play DCS Dennis Hoban, who initially led the enquiry, with David Morrissey taking the role of DCS George Oldfield, who famously took on the investigation.
Lee Ingleby is DCS Jim Hobson, whilst Katherine Kelly plays Emily Jackson with Daniel Mays as her husband, Sydney Jackson and Shaun Thomas as their son, Neil Jackson.
Jill Halfpenny plays Doreen Hill, with Daisy Waterstone as her daughter, Jacqueline Hill. Jasmine Lee-Jones plays Marcella Claxton, Molly Wright as Donna Deangelo, Liz White as PS Meg Winterburn and Shaun Dooley as DCS Chris Gregg.
The cast also includes Alexa Davies, Chloe Harris, Stephen Tompkinson, Jack Deam, Michael McElhatton, Adam Long, Ruth Madeley, Dorothy Atkinson, Rob James-Collier, Charley Webb, Steven Waddington and Kris Hitchen.
The drama was produced in Yorkshire.
Willow Grylls, Executive Producer and co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Pictures said:
“George Kay, Lewis Arnold and an exceptional cast have bought to life an important event drama that is as tragically resonant today as it was over 40 years ago.”
All3Media International is distributing the series internationally.
