Quay Street lands ITV crime drama

Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions has landed an ITV1 and STV crime and corruption drama starring Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth.  

In The Blame Keegan (Fool Me Once) and Booth (The Sandman) will play detectives investigating the murder of a teenage figure skater Sophie Madsen in the quiet town of Wakestead. Digging deeper, they uncover institutional cover-ups and treacherous politics inside their own team.   

Based on the debut novel by Charlotte Langley, the series is being written for TV and executive produced by Megan Gallagher (Wolf) and will be filmed in association with Fifth Season, which will also handle distribution. The series co-writers are Ashley Sanders and Namsi Khan.  

The 6 x 60-minute drama will also star Ian Hart (Shetland), Nathan Mensah, Nigel Boyle (Line of Duty), Joe Armstrong (Gentleman Jack), Matilda Freeman (How to Get to Heaven from Belfast), Gavin Spokes (Slow Horses), Josh Bolt (Masters of the Air) and Ceallach Spellman (Cheaters). Filming will begin this summer in and around London.  

Joining Langley as executive producers are Nicola Shindler (Nolly) and Richard Fee (Fool Me Once) for ITV Studios label Quay Street Productions and Polly Hill for ITV. Matt Strevens (Capital) is the series producer, with Sara Huxley as co-producer. Bex Rycroft (Screw) direct the first three episodes and Claire Tailyour (Beyond Paradise) will direct the final three.  

ITV drama director Polly Hill, who will oversee production of The Blame, 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.”  

Shindler and Fee said: “[Gallagher] 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.”  

Gallagher added: “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.” 

Manchester-based Quay Street is behind ITV’s Nolly and Significant Other as well as BBC1’s Men Up and Netflix series Fool Me Once.