‘Endeavour’ star joins ‘Downton’ writer’s new BritBox drama ‘Murder in Provence’

BritBox has announced a brand new crime drama series.

Based on the Verlaque & Bonnet novels by M.L. Longworth, Murder in Provence is being adapted for TV by Downton Abbey writer Shelagh Stephenson.

Leading the cast will be Roger Allam, best known as DI Fred Thursday in ITV’s Endeavour.

The 67-year-old English actor has also appeared in The Woman in Black, Parade’s End, Game of Thrones, and The Thick of It.

Allam will be joined by American singer and actress Keala Settle, who shot to fame in The Greatest Showman, and English actress Nancy Carroll, who’ll be familiar to Father Brown fans as Lady Felicia.

The official synopsis reads: “Murder in Provence follows Antoine Verlaque (Allam), Investigating Judge in Aix-en-Provence, and romantic partner Marine Bonnet (Carroll) as they investigate the murders, mysteries and dark underbelly of their idyllic home. Their efforts are aided by Hélène (Settle), a detective and Antoine’s trusted confidante.”

Directed by Chloe Thomas (Victoria), three 90-minute episodes will begin filming this July in the UK and France.

Will Harrison, Managing Director BritBox UK commented: “We hope that Murder in Provence will be the first of many global Originals made exclusively for BritBox subscribers. The books by M.L. Longworth seem to be tailor made for television and we can’t wait to launch the series next year.”

Executive producer Alison Owen said: “We are thrilled that BritBox has given us the opportunity to bring M.L. Longworth’s delightful books to the screen.”

She added: “Shelagh, with her brilliant wit and knowledge of Provence, is the perfect writer to bring Mary Lou’s world to life. The pairing of Roger Allam and Nancy Carroll as Antoine and Marine is just delicious and promises sparring and fun as they solve crimes in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes.”

Murder in Provence will premiere exclusively on BritBox in 2022.

Roger Allam is currently filming the eighth season of Endeavour in Oxford, England.

Three new episodes of Endeavour are set to air in the UK on ITV this autumn and in the US shortly afterwards on PBS.

All seven seasons of Endeavour are available to watch on Amazon Prime and if you’re not already a member you can sign up for a free 30-day trial here!