Adjoa Andoh is set to star in a new ITV crime drama that explores the pressures faced by a black female police officer investigating the tragic shooting of a teenage boy. The 63-year-old actress will play detective inspector Araba Dadzie in Protect and Serve, a character navigating a turbulent personal life while leading a high-stakes investigation against the backdrop of Britain's unregulated children's care homes.
Andoh, known for her roles in Bridgerton and Doctor Who, has also created the upcoming six-part series with writer Helen Black. The show is set in "the great city of Leeds" due to Andoh's deep professional and personal ties to the area.
The Challenges of DI Araba Dadzie
Andoh described the central character's struggles, asking: "How does a woman juggle an aging father, a chippy student daughter, and a non-existent sex life, while investigating murders as a black female cop?" She added that DI Araba Dadzie is "a senior investigation officer on a homicide and major inquiry team in central Leeds."
Reflecting on the role, Andoh said: "It's a job that costs, a job that we the public need, and in spite of the challenges, it's a job Araba feels called to – much like a priest or a teacher."
A Personal Connection to Leeds
Andoh spoke about her attachment to the setting, saying: "I love this city and I love the city's football club Leeds United. I lived in Leeds as a child and half my English family have been Yorkshire sheep farmers going back to the 1600s."
The bittersweet drama follows Andoh's character as she investigates the death of a teenage boy who has been living in a privately owned children's care home with his brother since his grandfather fell ill. As DI Araba and her murder squad delve into the case, they must piece together his life in the care home as they strive to catch his killer.
Behind the Scenes Team
Andoh expressed her enthusiasm for the production team, which includes Big Talk Studios, part of ITV Studios. She said she is "thrilled" by the team behind the series.
Addressing the show's themes, Andoh said: "As mothers the national disgrace of our unregulated children's homes is something we are all shocked by. How do we as a society protect our children? It's a question that drives Araba, and that drives our first season." She added that with director Nimer Rashed at the helm, "hot off Netflix's Harlan Coben thrillers, the highs and lows of this propulsive cop show, we hope, will drive audiences to keep watching and caring."
ITV's director of drama Polly Hill, who commissioned the series, said she is "delighted" to take on the project, describing it as "a great police series that also has something to say." She added: "We have a shared ambition, together with Big Talk, to make Helen Black's scripts uncover the scandal in privatised children's care homes while Araba lets us see what cost there is to becoming a high ranking black policewoman. It's a show we are very proud to be making for ITV with such a great team."
Filming for the series is scheduled for early 2027, with further casting yet to be announced.
