The Hairdresser Mysteries, a new cosy crime series from the BBC, premieres today, Friday 17 July, with all six episodes available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The show will also air weekly on Fridays at 2pm on BBC One.
Cast and Characters
Sally Phillips stars as Lily Petal, a modern-day hairdresser with a passion for the 1970s who trades her high-profile London salon for a small shop in a sleepy northern market town. Charlotte Jordan plays her assistant Clary Coombs, while Ben Castle-Gibb portrays PC Adam Watson and Sunetra Sarker takes on the role of Wincey Evans, the town's gossip. Additional cast includes Clive Rowe as Lonnie, the charity shop manager, and Guy Henry as Race Runard, an antiques dealer.
Plot and Style
The series, created by Jim Cartwright, follows Lily as she is drawn into amateur detective work when murders occur in her new community. Executive producer Will Trotter, known for his work on Father Brown and Sister Boniface Mysteries, said: "I wanted to break the mould to create a new style of cosy crime. I immediately thought Jim's unique voice and his colourful characters would be a rich world."
Trotter added: "I got back in touch with him around two years ago... I spoke to him about the success Father Brown and The Sister Boniface Mysteries were receiving and asked him to have a think about what world he might want to create – that revealed itself to be a hairdresser."
What to Expect
Executive producer Oliver Kent said: "One of the things that the audience can look forward to is lots of singing and dancing in every episode. They can also play along with each episode's crime and work out the logic of that." The series is designed to be interactive, allowing viewers to solve the mysteries alongside the characters.
The Hairdresser Mysteries is ideal for fans of other cosy crime programmes such as Father Brown or Sister Boniface Mysteries.
