(L-R) Mark Gatiss and Polly Walker on set
Monday 29 April 2024
Further casting is now confirmed for Bookish (6x70'), a brand-new drama created by Emmy Award-winning writer Mark Gatiss, for UKTV's specialist crime drama channel Alibi. The series is produced by Eagle Eye Drama and filming is now underway in Belgium. As international partner, Beta Film is handling the world sales.
Blake Harrison (Still Up, World on Fire) joins the returning core cast members as Sergeant Morris, with Rosie Cavaliero (The Power of Parker, Funny Woman), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (Bodies, The Great), Tom Forbes (Champion, Rules of the Game), Amanda Drew (The Gold, Wolf) Luke Norris (Poldark, The Girl Before), Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife, Passenger) and Michael Workéyè (Playdate, This is Going to Hurt) confirmed to guest star. Previously announced casting can be found here.
Mark Gatiss writes and stars as the erudite and unconventional Gabriel Book who, from his antiquarian bookshop, helps the police to solve a variety of mysterious crimes. With three main cases in the series, each storyline spans two-episode instalments.
London, 1946 is the dynamic, dangerous and chaotic setting for this stylish new detective drama, with the eccentric Gabriel Book (Gatiss) at the very heart of the story: a self-appointed consultant detective to the local police. The thousands of books that line the shelves of his shop provide him with all the knowledge he needs.
Book has gathered around him a host of lovable, damaged misfits whom he informally protects, cajoles, and mentors. His wife Trottie (Polly Walker) runs the wallpaper shop next door. She's a charismatic adventuress whom Book loves deeply but not physically, for they are in a 'lavender' marriage to help conceal Book's sexual orientation in a time when it was illegal to be gay.
Bookish marries post-war nostalgia with the reckless and life-affirming atmosphere of the times, creating a fast-paced and stylish detective drama.
The UKTV Original series has been commissioned by Helen Perry, head of drama for UKTV, and ordered by Emma Ayech, channel director for Alibi, and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning. Executive producers for Eagle Eye Drama are Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino. The series is co-written with Matthew Sweet and will be directed by Carolina Giammetta (Suspect S2, Hollington Drive) and produced by Christopher Arcache (Hotel Portofino).
The series is being produced in association with Happy Duck Films and is supported by the Belgian Tax Shelter.
Bookish is the latest UKTV Original drama for Alibi. Other recently announced series include I, Jack Wright, written by Chris Lang and starring Nikki Amuka-Bird and John Simm. The Red King, starring Anjli Mohindra, Adjoa Andoh and Marc Warren, is currently airing on Wednesdays at 9pm, with all episodes available as a boxset.
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For more information, please contact:
Kelly Phelps, Publicity Manager, UKTV
Notes for Editors:
About Alibi
Sky 109/826, Virgin 126/200, BT 312/382, TalkTalk 312, TV Player On demand on Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk
Alibi is the only TV channel dedicated to crime drama, investigating the best selection from the genre and premiering hit series from around the world such as CSI: Vegas, So Help Me Todd, Dark Winds and Black Sands.
Alibi's offering of UKTV Original crime drama series give viewers guaranteed thrills, twists and turns through hit shows including Annika, starring Nicola Walker, Traces, starring Molly Windsor and Martin Compston and We Hunt Together, starring Eve Myles and Babou Ceesay. Sophie Rundle also leads the cast in Barcelona-set drama, The Diplomat, while Anjli Monindra, Marc Warren and Adjoa Andoh star in the brand-new series from writer Toby Whithouse, The Red King.
Alibi is also home to fan favourites, Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Murdoch Mysteries and Hudson and Rex, and gives viewers another chance to catch hugely popular British crime dramas including Death in Paradise, Father Brown and Silent Witness.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
corporate.uktv.co.uk | press.uktv.co.uk | @uktvpress
About EAGLE EYE DRAMA
Eagle Eye Drama was formed by Walter Iuzzolino, Jo McGrath and Jason Thorp, the same three founders and creative team behind the global drama company Walter Presents. The company produces dramas and animations, based both on adaptations and original ideas. In 2022, Eagle Eye launched new Belgian based company Happy Duck Films.
Follow Eagle Eye Drama on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
About BETA FILM
Owned by Jan Mojto since 2004, Beta Film produces, finances and distributes high-end entertainment content for the global market utilizing extensive connections and a deep knowledge of the media industry. It draws on both long-standing and new partnerships spanning public and private broadcasters, streaming platforms and special interest channels, production companies, theatrical and video distributors, and organizers of major film and TV festivals. Founded in 1959 by Leo Kirch, Beta Film is based in Munich, Germany with bureaus in the US, Latin America, Middle East, China and throughout Europe.