The Chelsea Detective has wrapped, after a shoot which began in cold and wet April and travelled all across London. My own journey with the show started over 2 years ago, writing it through the lockdowns of 2020 and then rewriting because of restrictions and delays due to COVID, so it’s a huge relief to see it all in the can. An excellent achievement from a fabulous cast and crew.
Very pleased to let you know what I’ve been writing this during lockdowns 1, 2 and 3. The Chelsea Detective is shooting in April 2021. There were plans to shoot in last autumn, but a little thing called COVID put paid to that. As I write this, sets are being hammered and nailed into place. We did the read-through last week – 90 people on Zoom in my kitchen was somehow more nerve-wracking than if we’d all been sat around the same table.
Series one of The Chelsea Detective is four feature-length stories following Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough), Detective Sergeant Priya Shamsie (Sonita Henry) and their team as they solve crimes in Chelsea, London. The first series will be shown, I think, in 2022. Watch this space.
It’s been a blast writing this alongside Peter Fincham (who also created the show) and Liz Lake. Laker Fincham Lake – sounds like a legal firm from a John Grisham novel.
My second attempt at a Vera episode, Tuesday’s Child, is being repeated on ITV on Friday 7th August. I hope you enjoy it. I like how it all turned out. In France, the episode is called “L’homme des cavernes”, which coincidentally is also the name of my favourite aftershave.
I wrote episode 5 of the third series of GOOD KARMA HOSPITAL for Tiger Aspect and ITV. Really enjoyed working on the show. Alas, I didn’t get to visit the Sri Lanka set, but they did send me some nice photos of the beach. The team behind the show were brilliant. The episode takes place during Diwali and features deaf teenagers who turn up at the Good Karma Hospital, but as always, everything is not as it first appears. Hope you enjoy!
Prime Suspect 1973 makes the Pick of the day in all the TV magazines, including this brilliant review in the TV Times. Phew! Starts ITV, Thursday 2nd March at 9pm.
Prime Suspect 1973 – TV Times Review
Check out the new trailer for Prime Suspect 1973. Starts on ITV: Thursday 2nd March 2017.
Brilliant new poster for Prime Suspect 1973 (Prime Suspect Tennison in the US) from PBS Masterpiece.
Well, this is some exciting news. As production has now wrapped, I’m allowed to let the cat out of the bag. For the last few months, I’ve been locked in the shed scripting the six-part adaptation of Lynda LaPlante’s bestseller “Tennison” for ITV. An amazing cast includes Stefanie Martini, Sam Reid, Alun Armstrong, Blake Harrison and Ruth Sheen. It is the prequel to Prime Suspect. Set in 1973, it follows Jane Tennison in her first year as a WPC. On your telly boxes some time in 2017…
Home Fires series 2 begins on April 3rd, 8pm on ITV. I wrote on the series, which was really enjoyable. Brilliant characters to write and a wonderful cast to write for.
