Bloodlands – when does it start, who’s in the cast with James Nesbitt and what’s it about?
THE BBC's new crime drama Bloodlands follows the hunt for a legendary assassin plaguing Northern Ireland.
The cold case crime series is written by Chris Brandon and produced by Jed Mercurio, the brains behind Line of Duty and Bodyguard.
When is Bloodlands on TV?
An air date is yet to be confirmed.
However, filming has now begun for the show in and around Belfast and Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.
The drama will be shown on BBC One.
As soon as a date is announced we'll let you know.
Who is in the cast of Bloodlands?
Jed Mercurio has rounded up an all-star cast for this series.
- James Nesbitt as Detective Tom Brannick - James is known for Cold Feet and The Missing
- Ian McElhinney as Adam Corrie - Ian has been in Doctor Who in 2020 but is best known for Derry Girls
- Lisa Dwan as Tori - Lisa starred in Top Boy and Rock Rivals
- Michael Smiley as Dinger - Michael is known for Luther and Wire In The Blood
- Lorcan Cranitch as Jackie Toomey - Lorcan was in Ballykissangel in the nineties and starred in the telly version of Les Miserables
- as Niamh McGovern - Charlene has appeared in Peaky Blinders but is known for Ripper Street
Kathy Kiera Clarke as Clare Keenan - Kathy has starred in Derry Girls and Ice Cream Girls
- Susan Lynch - Susan is known for Happy Valley and Save Me
- Chris Walley as Birdy - Chris plays Private Bullen in 1917 and has starred in The Young Offenders
- Brenda McNeill is ATO - Brenda was cast in another Northern Ireland thriller The Fall
- Asan N'Jie as Larry - the axed Emmerdale actor has been in Ready Player One
What is Bloodlands about?
When a car containing a possible suicide note is pulled out of Strangford Lough, Northern Irish police detective Tom Brannick (James Nesbitt) quickly connects it to an infamous cold case with enormous personal significance.
Bloodlands follows his dogged hunt for a legendary assassin.
Viewers will see an explosive cat-and-mouse game where the stakes have never been higher.
What has been said about Bloodlands?
In a statement about the show, James Nesbitt said: “It’s great to be back making a drama in and about Northern Ireland, which now has a film and television industry as good as any in the world.
"We have compelling scripts from a brilliant young writer who was raised in County Down, which are very exciting and psychologically complex. I can’t wait to start.”
Writer Chris Brandon said: “I’m absolutely delighted that the first opportunity I get to tell a story on this scale, it is one that is so close to home and the people and places that raised me.
"On top of that, to be telling it with James Nesbitt, Jed Mercurio and the incredible team at HTM is a total privilege.”
Jed Mercurio, Executive Producer for HTM Television, said: “It's been incredibly rewarding to discover Chris Brandon's work and to witness the development of an outstanding new voice in contemporary television thriller writing, added to which everyone at HTM Television is honoured an actor of James Nesbitt's brilliance will star in our debut production.”
What is James Nesbitt's background?
In 1996, James became a household name when he landed the part of Adam Williams, a womaniser who falls for a married woman, in new ITV comedy-drama Cold Feet.
He starred alongside Friends star Helen Baxendale as Rachel, who became Adam's wife and then died in series five, around the time James was threatening to leave.
The success of the show, which came to an end in 2003, acted as a springboard for James.
From 2003 onwards, James was all over TV, starring in Murphy's Law, The Canterbury Tales and Jekyll.
He also landed roles in Danny Boyle's movie Millions and Woody Allen's Match Point.
In 2014 he starred in the first series of The Missing and in 2016 he took on the role of Colin Howell in The Secret.
Since 2016 he has reprised his role of Adam in the reboot of Cold Feet.