Netflix has signed up acclaimed actor Sarah Lancashire and comedian Bob Mortimer for new shows being made in the UK. The streaming service announced a number of new programmes at a UK Upfronts event on Thursday, featuring some of the biggest names on television.
Witch Hunt: Sarah Lancashire leads six-part drama
The six-part drama Witch Hunt sees Sarah Lancashire playing August Howell, a descendant of the 'Witch of Cambridge' who is released after thirty years in prison for drowning her three young daughters. August comes home to a community that does not want her back. When concern grows that her return has triggered a modern-day witch hunt in the university town, the police must turn to August's last surviving daughter, Professor Wren Howell, an academic and investigative psychologist, to help find the killer as past resentments and local folklore collide.
Lancashire said: “It’s a brilliantly imagined and utterly compelling story, with a deeply complex character at its heart. There’s so much to explore in August, and I can’t wait to begin.”
Creator Abi Morgan reunites with Lancashire
Creator, writer and executive producer Abi Morgan added: “I am delighted to be bringing Witch Hunt to Netflix. A dark, yet emotionally charged love story between August Howell, newly released from prison for murdering her children, and the daughter she has left behind, after thirty years inside. I last worked with Sarah Lancashire over 25 years ago. I have been chasing the perfect role for her ever since. This is it.
“I can’t think of anyone better to embody the terrifying tenderness of 'the Witch of Cambridge.' It’s gothic horror meets dark thriller laced with modern day witchcraft, raising the question can August ever be forgiven for her crime?”
Hot or Cold: Bob Mortimer and Richard Ayoade lead comedy show
Netflix is also making a new comedy entertainment show called Hot or Cold. Bob Mortimer and Richard Ayoade lead an all-star line-up of comedians and funny celebrities taking on daft challenges that appear to make no sense. Teams work their way through a labyrinth of rooms, each containing a challenge that must be completed as quickly as possible. The only problem: they’re never told what the challenge is, or how to solve it. Their only guide is the room itself, which glows red when they’re getting warmer and blue when they’re getting colder.
Bob Mortimer said: "Spending time with Richard Ayoade is one of my all-time favourite things to do. Closely followed by playing Hot or Cold, so this has worked out brilliantly." Richard Ayoade added: “Although I prefer mild temperatures, it’s been instructive to participate in something as binary as this.”
Black Doves return and Blackmere casting revealed
Netflix bosses also used the event to confirm the return of fan favourite drama Black Doves and reveal casting for new Charlie Brooker project Blackmere, which will feature Paddy Considine, Lena Headey and Rory Kinnear.
