Sherlock‘s Moriarty Andrew Scott, takes a trip back down memory lane in new drama ‘The Town‘

ITV has commissioned a new three-part contemporary drama The Town from by Laurence Olivier award-winning playwright Mike Bartlett and Big Talk Productions.

The sixty-minute episodes will star BAFTA winning Sherlock actor Andrew Scott alongside Julia McKenzie, Charlotte Riley, Gerard Kearns, Kelly Adams and Martin Clunes.

The cast also includes: Kelly Adams, Aisling Bea, and Sam Troughton.

Following a shocking incident amongst an otherwise normal family, 30 year-old Mark Nicholas (Andrew Scott) returns to the town where he grew up. After ten years away, coming home to Renton is harder than Mark could ever have imagined. He always had a strained relationship with his parents, his grandmother Betty (Julia McKenzie) is now living in his childhood bedroom and he barely knows his teenage sister Jodie (played by 16 year-old newcomer Avigail Tlalim in her first ever screen role).

Drawn back into the life he left behind. Mark struggles to re-connect with his old school friends. Hardest of all is meeting his first love Alice (Charlotte Riley) who stayed behind when he left. They still have strong feelings for each other but Alice is now married with a child.

“We’re thrilled to be making our first original drama series for the fantastic team at ITV. At the heart of The Town will be a family struggling to come to terms with change.  It’s also our hope to paint a picture of contemporary Britain through the magnifying glass of an ordinary market town. The story takes place in a landscape familiar to most of the UK.  Most of the population live their lives in a place like Renton,” said Big Talk’s CEO and The Town’s co-executive producer Kenton Allen.

“These communities are desperate for a sense of purpose and direction. They face the same challenges we all do. A shrinking economy, under-employment, crime and a struggle to educate our children. Mike’s real skill is to craft a compelling and entertaining drama at the heart of such a world,” added co-executive producer Simon Curtis.

Running parallel with Mark’s story, is local alcoholic Mayor Len, played by Martin Clunes. Stumbling from one PR disaster to another, but fortunately his right-hand woman Shireen (Goldy Notay), saves him time again from committing career suicide.  His heart’s in the right place, but Len attracts trouble like a magnet attracts metal.

Interweaving with life in the Nicholas household, is the story of wayward Jodie’s friendship with posh boy Harry (Toby Regbo), and we’re also introduced to the enigmatic Inspector Franks from the local police force whose links to the family are stronger than it first appears.  He’s ever present in their lives and will have a lasting influence on what happens to them.

Produced by Big Talk’s Luke Alkin (Dirty War), and executive produced by Kenton Allen (Rev, Him & Her), Matthew Justice (Attack the Block) and Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn, Cranford). Colin Teague (Doctor Who) will direct.

The Town begins filming in High Wycombe from 17 June for six weeks and will air on ITV1 with transmission date yet to be announced.