Series

Unforgotten Season 5

Sanjeev Bhaskar’s DI Sunny Khan has a new boss to help him solve a decades-old murder case – DCI Jessica James, played by Sinéad Keenan

Unforgotten Season 5 premiered on ITV1 on February 27 at 9pm.

The new investigation happens after the shocking ending of the fourth series of Unforgotten when DCI Cassie Stuart was killed in a horrific road accident. Not only did Cassie’s sudden death leave her family emotionally shattered, her police colleagues are hurting too, not least her detective partner DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) with whom she’d worked with on a number of baffling cold cases.

Now Sunny has a new sleuthing partner for the new six-part season 5, as Cassie has now been replaced by DCI Jessica James played by Sinéad Keenan.

The ghost of much-loved former colleague Cassie Stuart looms large over the team and Jess knows there will be big shoes for her to fill. This will need resolve, professionalism and a great spirit if she’s to live up to her much-admired and respected predecessor.

When human remains are found inside the fireplace of a newly renovated Victorian London house, DI Khan is on the case. However, he’s also contending with a new boss, DCI Jessica James, and things get off to a very strained start. She’s reeling from the news that her husband has been having an affair. With both detectives out of kilter, their first day working together is fraught with repressed emotions and differences of opinions.

The first case for Jess and her team is the discovery of human remains in a newly renovated period property in Hammersmith, West London. But it seems the body has been there a very long time — it seems as though the murdermay dating back to the 1950s. Sunny Khan is frustrated and angry when his new DCI announces that she is reluctant to waste resources on a murder victim who may have been dead for 70 years. Working in the background, he and other members of the team discover that the clothing used to date the crime had actually been bought at a vintage shop only six years earlier. Faced with this new evidence, DCI James has no choice but to prioritise what is no longer such a cold case. Why did the victim’s former social work flee to France within days of her last sighting? And how does the murder involve former Tory MP, Lord Tony Hume, who has clearly been hiding big secrets…

All episodes of Unforgotten Season 5 are available to stream on ITVX

Critical Acclaim for Unforgotten Season 5

‘The 5th series of Chris Lang’s consistently rewarding and affecting police drama shows no sign of losing its way…it’s among the best crime dramas of my viewing lifetime.’
– Daily Telegraph

‘They said the nation’s favourite crime drama couldn’t continue without Nicola Walker. But they were wrong’.
– The Observer 

‘This is so good…succeeds magnificently.’
– Mail on Sunday

‘Another series of this brilliantly intricate whodunit. With a quality cast, impeccable writing and gripping mysteries, this is one of the most addictive crime dramas on TV’
– The Sun

‘One of the finest crime dramas of recent years — there’s no one better than writer Chris Lang at controlling these multiple storylines. Bhaskar is outstanding.’
– Daily Mail

‘It is so classily put together that I am now securely strapped in for the ride’.
– The i

‘The beauty of this drama is the way it allows us to invest emotionally in both police and suspects. Every character seems entirely believable. Keenan slots in effortlessly, and the sharp writing of Chris Lang remains…..so good. Great drama this.’
– The Times

‘Another Unforgettable run’.
– Daily Star

‘Cracking crime drama. Chris Lang’s show is as taut and tense and pleasureable as ever. I love Unforgotten wholeheartedly.”
– The Guardian 

Trailer

The Interrogation Table

Canoe poster

The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe

Renowned actors, Monica Dolan and Eddie Marsan, play Anne and John Darwin in the extraordinary and compelling ITV drama, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe.

The real life story of how John Darwin, played by BIFA winner Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan, Sherlock Holmes, Happy Go Lucky) faked his own death to claim life insurance and avoid bankruptcy is written by acclaimed screenwriter Chris Lang.

Commented Chris Lang: “I am beyond delighted to be working with two of the finest actors of their generation. I have admired them both from afar for many years (not in a creepy way though) and cannot wait to see them bring Anne and John Darwin to life.”

The drama focuses on how Anne Darwin, played by BAFTA-winner Monica Dolan (Appropriate Adult, W1A, A Very English Scandal), became complicit in her husband’s deception as she started to convince the world, their family and friends, the police and insurance companies, that he had gone missing in 2002 whilst canoeing off the coast of Seaton Carew in Cleveland, where the couple owned two large houses with panoramic views of the sea.

The deception was to take its toll on Anne who lied to their sons, Mark and Anthony, for five years whilst her husband, in the early days of the fraud, secretly lived in a bedsit next door to the home he shared with Anne. Devastated by the loss of their father, neither son had an inkling their parents were capable of such treachery. Anne and John Darwin eventually decided to leave Seaton Carew and move to Panama City to start a new life together before their secret was exposed by the discovery of an infamous photo of them posing in a Panama real estate office in July 2006.

At her trial Anne Darwin pleaded not guilty, arguing that she had been coerced into the plot by her husband, but the jury didn’t believe her. She and her husband were both jailed for more than 6 years.

The four-part drama was produced by Story Films, the company founded by three times BAFTA-winner David Nath (The Murder Detectives, Deceit) and fellow award-winning director Peter Beard with Alison Sterling (The Windermere Children) producing.

Credits

Anne Darwin  –   Monica Dolan
John Darwin – Eddie Marsan
Mark Darwin – Mark Stanley
Anthony Darwin – Dominic Applewhite
Dave Leigh – David Fynn
Louise – Alice Arding
Flick – Francesca Knight
Michael – Colin R Campbell
Nicola Finnerty – Karina Fernandez
Dc Phil Bayley – Karl Pilkington
Ds Paul Sapson – Andrew Lancel
Dc June Ayoade – Lois Chimimba

Writer & Executive Producer: Chris Lang
Executive Producer: David Nath
Director: Richard Laxton
Producer: Alison Sterling
Inspired by a memoir by David Leigh
Director of Photography: Sergio Delgado
Editor: James Taylor
Casting Director: Amy Hubbard
Production Designer: Claire Kenny
Costume Designer: Richard Cooke
Hair & Make-up Designer: Nic Collins

Reviews

“Chris Lang’s delicious rendition of this true-life caper, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, nailed this unlikely scenario, balancing the absurdity of Darwin’s harebrained scheme against his narcissistic, coercive control over his wife.”
-The Times

“Even if it wasn’t a true story, The Thief, his Wife and The Canoe would still be a thoroughly captivating watch, thanks to the bonkers nature of the crime and the stellar performances from the cast, lead by Eddie Marsan and Monica Dolan.”
– Metro

“Lang made his name on the peerless cold-case drama Unforgotten, and here his droll and disobliging reimagining of the Darwins’ survival of the dimmest ensures that the couple will remain unforgettable.”
– Guardian

 

Innocent 2

In 2015 the small Cumbrian town of Keswick is rocked by a scandal that rocked in 2015 involving schoolteacher, Sally Wright, who is alleged to be having an affair with her 16-year-old pupil, Matty Taylor.

When Matty is found dead, brutally stabbed with a broken cider bottle, suspicion falls upon Sally who had admitted to taking special interest in the boy.

In spite of having no criminal record, no history of violence and vehemently protesting her innocence and the fact she couldn’t be placed at the remote beauty spot on the day Matty was found murdered, Sally was convicted by a majority verdict and sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in jail…

When the verdict is overturned, Sally returns to the village following her release – only to find that she’s lost everything.

Praise for Innocent 2

“A quiet seriousness and tangible humanity.”
The Sunday Telegraph

“Kelly performs her duties with a studied, glowering intensity while Lang’s clever and watertight script keeps us guessing. No one sets a scene in which almost anyone could credibly have dunnit as skilfully as Lang.”
The Times

“Forget whatever viewing plans you had for the week: this thriller drama showing across four nights demands your attention and will hold you in its thrall until the conclusion.”
Mail on Sunday

“Chris “Unforgotten” Lang always provides a superior script. Katherine Kelly excelled, as did Priyanga Burford.”
The Observer

“It’s by Unforgotten’s Chris Lang, so there’s some quality writing.”
Sunday Express

“Endings are tough and we are all difficult to please, but this one was perfect.”
The Mirror

“ITV’s whodunnit was ideally executed.”
The People

“It manages to be dramatic and plausible. Breathtakingly beautiful.”
The Star

“Rather excellent.”
Daily Express

“Chris Lang writes such intricate, involving stories, I love the way his characters go around trailing guilt, secrets and potential murder motives like strings of bunting. It’s all plausible and we buy in to it as it sweeps us along.”
Radio Times

Cast & Crew

Katherine Kelly
Jamie Bamber
Priyanga Burford
Shaun Dooley
Amy-Leigh Hickman
Lucy Black
Michael Yare

Created Written by Chris Lang & Matthew Arlidge

Directed by: Tracey Larcombe

Produced by: Jeremy Gwilt

Executive producers: Chris Lang, Matt Arlidge and Jeremy Gwilt.

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Unforgotten Season 4

The discovery of a dismembered body in a scrap metal yard, believed to have been stored in a domestic freezer for decades…

A unique tattoo on the corpse leads to the discovery of a 1990 crime involving four people now spread around the country. Ram Sidhu and his wife Anna live in London, with Liz Baildon and her fiancée Janet in Cambridge, Fiona Grayson and her partner Geoff in the Peak District, and Dean Barton and his wife Marnie living in Rochester.

The investigation threatens to shatter their reputations, family relationships and lives.

 

Key cast

  • Nicola Walker
  • Sanjeev Bhaskar
  • Susan Lynch
  • Liz White
  • Phaldut Sharma
  • Andy Nyman
  • Sheila Hancock
  • Alastair Mackenzie
  • Alastair Mackenzie
  • Jordan Long
  • Georgia Mackenzie
  • Ronny Jhutti
  • Indira Joshi
  • Daniel Flynn
  • Colin R. Campbell

Written and created by Chris Lang

Produced by Guy de Glanville

Directed by Andy Wilson

Executive produced by Chris Lang, Laura Mackie, Sally Haynes

Praise for Unforgotten Season 4

‘In its hinterlands, its human understandings, it is as blisteringly good television as you’re likely to get.’
The Observer

‘An icy delight. One of the best and most elegant (cop drams) with its subtle script, understated acting, and, of course, Nicola Walker.’
Sunday Times, Camilla Long

‘The best crime show on TV.’
Daily Telegraph

‘The sweetest professional relationship ever to grace TV.’
The Guardian

‘As ever with this enthralling series, you’re sure to be left counting the hours until the next instalment.’
The Sun

‘Unforgotten packs more tasty goodness into a small space than any of its rivals’
Daily Mail

‘Writer Chris Lang is a master of these brilliant drama-Jenga puzzles’
Radio Times

‘It’s one of the classiest cop shows on the box.
Daily Mirror

‘Unforgotten is easily five-star. It’s one of the classiest cop shows on the box’
Sunday Express

‘Expertly crafted police drama that has given the cold-case format a new lease of life.’
Mail on Sunday

‘Its slow-build storylines and top-notch performances marking it out as one of the best crime dramas.’
Metro

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The Hook-Up Plan

Elsa, on the verge of turning thirty and stuck in an uninspiring job, finds herself still hung up on her ex-boyfriend more than two years after they borke up. She is obsessed by his new girlfriend – who has quickly become his fiancée. Hoping to help her break out of her rut and boost her flagging confidence, her friends decide to hire Jules, a high-class male escort to take her on a few dates. But their plan works a little too well…  when Jules, falls for Elsa, and she for him…

Key Cast

  • Zita Hanrot
  • Guillaume Labbe
  • Ludivine De Chastenet
  • Sabrina Ouazani
  • Josephine Drai
  • Tom Dingler
  • Syrus Shahidi
  • Marc Ruchmann

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Unforgotten: Season 3

Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar return as DCI Cassie Stuart and DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan  investigating another emotionally-charged cold case.

When the body of a teenage girl who went missing at the turn of the millenium is found at a building site off the M1 motorway, four men – a close-knit group of old school friends that have stood by one another through thick and thin – are placed under the spotlight and their relationships are tested to the limit. We also delve deeper into Sunny and Cassie’s own personal lives this series, experiencing the effects that the cases have on their own relationships and well being.

Set across the south of England in locations including Norfolk, West Sussex, Bristol, Hampshire and London, the new series will explore how everyday lives can be fractured and destroyed by one event, showing that appearances can often be deceiving.

Hailed the “best detective drama of the decade” by the Daily Telegraph and “crime drama of the highest class” by The Guardian,  the first two series proved hugely successful with viewers and critics alike, with the last series receiving an average consolidated viewing figure of over 6million with a 21% share.

Key cast

  • Nicola Walker
  • Sanjeev Bhaskar
  • Alex Jennings
  • Emma Fielding
  • Neil Morrissey
  • Indra Ove
  • James Fleet
  • Sasha Behar
  • Kevin Mcnally
  • Amanda Root
  • Janet Dibley
  • Brid Brennan
  • Alistair Mackenzie

Written and created by Chris Lang

Produced by Guy de Glanville

Directed by Andy Wilson

Executive produced by Chris Lang, Laura Mackie, Sally Haynes

Location, Location

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Creating Unforgotten

innocent

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Innocent

Convicted of murdering his wife Tara, David Collins has served seven years in prison. He’s lost everything he held dear: his wife, his two children and even the house he owned. He’s always protested his innocence and faces the rest of his life behind bars. His situation couldn’t be more desperate.

Despised by his wife’s family and friends, his only support has been his faithful brother Phil (Daniel Ryan) who has stood by him, sacrificing his own career and livelihood to mount a tireless campaign to prove his brother’s innocence.

Convinced of his guilt, Tara’s childless sister Alice and her husband Rob are now parents to David’s children and thanks to the proceeds of David’s estate enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. For Alice there’s no doubt of his guilt and she’s utterly devastated by the prospect of David’s appeal and re-trial.

DCI William Beech who led the original investigation into Tara’s murder has a lot to lose if David’s conviction is rendered unsafe, and could see him professionally humiliated and even suspended.

To David’s astonishment he is acquitted on a technicality and although suspicion still hangs heavy , he is free to walk from court and to begin rebuilding his life . But at what cost to him personally and those around him? Will David win a custody battle to reclaim his children as he seeks to establish his absolute innocence?

Innocent is a new four-part contemporary drama series written by acclaimed writers Chris Lang and Matt Arlidge starring Hermione Norris and Lee Ingleby and produced by TXTV.

Praise for “Innocent”

Appointment to view…instantly absorbing…remarkably satisfying. –Radio Times

The TV drama that has got the whole nation watching….fantastically intense…a spellbinding whodunit. –The Express

Instantly gripping. –Mirror

Compellingly acted with both Ingleby and Norris on fine, emotionally intense form – Sunday Telegraph

A masterfully hard to read performance from Ingleby. –Mail on Sunday

Chris Lang’s vice like thriller should keep viewers enthralled – ‘i’

I guarantee you’ll be gripped by this riveting four parter – TV Times

A cracking drama – Sunday Mirror

Whodunnits don’t get much more gripping – Sunday People

I will keep watching every day of the week, which is as good a recommendation as any – The Times

Submerged secrets, meltdown level performances, and a propulsive pace. – The Guardian

Cast:

  • Lee Ingleby
  • Hermione Norris
  • Angel Coulby
  • Dan Ryan
  • Nigel Lindsay

Written and created by: Chris Lang and Matt Arlidge

Directed by: Richard Clark

Produced by: Jeremy Gwilt

Executive producers: Chris Lang, Matt Arlidge and Jeremy Gwilt.

Production Company: TXTV

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Unforgotten – Season Two

Season Two of  Chris Lang’s critically acclaimed drama “Unforgotten” premièred on ITVi n  January, 2017.

Synopsis

A body is discovered in a sealed suitcase in the silt of the River Lea. With the body preserved but clearly having been there a number of years, DCI Cassie Stuart and DI Sunny Khan begin the complicated task of identifying the victim and investigating his murder.

With an expensive watch found on the body the only evidence to go on, the item is sent to forensics who suggest approaching a watchmaker who may have repaired it to find out more about its owner.

Meanwhile, we meet four seemingly unconnected suspects who may have a link to the victim – DI Tessa Nixon who is struggling with her loner son, nurse Marion Kelsey who works with chronically ill children, Brighton-based barrister Colin Osborne who is in the process of adopting a little girl with his husband, and teacher Sara Mahmoud who is interviewing for a new position in a school that needs turning around. How did any of them knew the victim, though, and why would one of them kill him?

Trailer

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Dark Heart

Whilst devoting his life to his work, Will Wagstaffe, also known as Staffe to his colleagues, battles personal demons. He’s haunted by the unresolved murder of his parents, which affects both his private and professional life including his on-off romance with sometimes girlfriend, Sylvie, played by Miranda Raison.  His closest relationship is with his sister Juliette, played by Charlotte Riley, and young nephew Harry, who stays with him when Juliette has troubles with her boyfriend.

With no parents and no significant partner of his own, Juliette and Harry mean everything to Staffe. Determined and tenacious, Wagstaffe is an exceptionally good police officer, in spite of the fact he’s been known for pushing the boundaries of what’s considered acceptable policing.

Praise for “Dark Heart”

‘This is a quality thriller’
Observer

‘Impressive, lean and atmospheric’
The Mail

‘This is a quality thriller’
Observer

‘Impressive, lean and atmospheric’
The Mail

Cast:

  • Tom Riley
  • Charlotte Riley
  • Miranda Raison
  • Paul Kaye
  • Claire Goose
  • Indra Ove

Written by: Chris Lang from the novels by Adam Creed

Directed by: Colin Teague

Produced by: Letitia Knight

Executive producers:  Chris Lang, Kate Bartlett, Michael Dawson

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Unforgotten

Six-part crime drama centred around a historical crime that links four very different and seemingly unconnected suspects, unravelling secrets left buried for years.

DCI Cassie Stuart and DS Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan reopen a cold case when a skeleton is discovered in the foundations of a demolished building, launching a murder hunt that could potentially date back decades.

The discovery of a car key near the body is the only clue to the identity of the victim, igniting a search to find out who he is and how, when and why he died.

With Nicola Walker, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Tom Courtenay, Trevor Eve, and Bernard Hill.

Praise for Unforgotten

‘A beautifully weighted tale of betrayal and lies, Nicola Walker is outstanding. Highly recommended.’
Observer

‘As fine a cop show as I’ve ever come across’
Daily Express

‘It’s quite superb.’
Guardian Online

‘Chris Lang’s understated masterly drama. I watched the first two rapt and absorbed. Nicola Walker is just brilliant. It’s such a great story, a pantheon of terrific actors.’
Radio Times

‘Nicola Walker is absolutely terrific, it was amazing.’
BBC Front Row

‘Utterly brilliant and dramatic… Nicola Walker is outstanding… unmissable.’
TV Times

‘Recalls the best Scandi-noir. The sombre mood and mounting tension rivet your attention and never let go… a brilliant cast. Stylish, intelligent, masterly.’
Financial Times

‘The first episode made an indelible mark, it’s extremely good storytelling, carefully paced, beautifully acted, a reminder how good TV crime drama can be.’
Daily Express

‘One of ITV’s best crime dramas…a stroke of genius…TV Gold’
Sunday Express

‘It takes actors of this power to do justice to the depth of the story..superb…next weeks climax will be unmissable’
Daily Mail

Cast:

  • Nicola Walker
  • Sanjeev Bhaskar
  • Trevor Eve
  • Bernard Hill
  • Tom Courtenay

Written by: Chris Lang

Directed by: Andy Wilson

Produced by: Tim Bradley

Executive producers: Chris Lang, Sally Haynes and Laura Mackie.

Production Company: Mainstreet

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The Tunnel

When a prominent French politician is found dead on the border between the UK and France, detectives Karl Roebuck (Stephen Dillane) and Elise Wassermann (Clémence Poésy) are sent to investigate on behalf of their respective countries.

The case takes a surreal turn when a shocking discovery is made at the crime scene, forcing the French and British police into an uneasy partnership. As the serial killer uses ever more elaborate and ingenious methods to highlight the moral bankruptcy of modern society, Karl and Elise are drawn deeper into the killer’s increasingly personal agenda.

Set against the backdrop of Europe in crisis, The Tunnel is adapted from the hit Swedish/Danish series The Bridge.

Praise for The Tunnel

“…intelligently made, well cast and ambitiously cinematic.” – The Independent

“atmospheric, intriguing, gripping” – The Guardian

“…a fascinating puzzle that left us eagerly awaiting the final piece” – The Telegraph

“very effectively done, creepily atmospheric and splendidly gruesome” – The Stage

Starring:

  • Stephen Dillane
  • Clémence Poesy
  • Joseph Mawle

Written by:

  • Ben Richards
  • Chris Lang
  • Emma Frost
  • Oliver Kohn

Directed by:

  • Dominic Moll
  • Thomas Vincent
  • Hettie Macdonald
  • Udayan Prasad
  • Philip Martin.

Production Company: Kudos

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Undeniable

Undeniable DVD Cover
Undeniable DVD Cover

On an idyllic summer’s day in 1991, Anne Phillips took her seven year old daughter for a picnic in a local beauty spot. One hour later, Anne was dead, brutally murdered by an unknown assailant, the only witness, her little girl.

Twenty three years on Jane (Claire Goose) now herself a mother, still lives with the legacy of that dreadful day. Emotionally scarred for life, the fact that the killer was never found has meant she has never been able to fully move on.

But now, pregnant with her second child, she and her husband finally hope for a better future. Which is when she sees him. At a routine ante natal appointment, she sees Dr Andrew Rawlins (Peter Firth) an eminent oncologist and loving father, who she becomes convinced is her mother’s killer.

But is she right, or is this just one more expression of her fragile damaged mind.

Praise for “Undeniable”

‘A masterpiece in the genre of unreliable narrator type storytelling’. The Express

‘A script that isn’t afraid to sidestep the usual thriller clichés in favour of heading in to greyer, more grown up territory. Bruising stuff’. The Mail on Sunday

‘A masterclass in seamless plot and character exposition. Five stars.’ Sunday Times.

‘An acute investigation in to the pain of grief, the acting was excellent. Undeniably gripping. ‘The Telegraph

‘Enormously satisfying.’ Radio Times.

Cast:

  • Peter Firth
  • Claire Goose
  • Pippa Heywood
  • Robert Pugh.

Written by: Chris Lang

Directed by: John Strickland

Produced by: Jeremy Gwilt

Executive producers: Chris Lang, Matt Arlidge and Jeremy Gwilt.

Production Company: TXTV

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