ITV commissions new drama ‘The Guilty’ from Hartswood Films.

ITV has commissioned a new 3-part drama, ‘The Guilty‘ about the disappearance of a young child, starring Tamsin Greig, Katherine Kelly and Darren Boyd.

Produced by Hartswood Films and written by Debbie O’Malley (Law & Order: UK, Silk), the drama is set across two timelines – 2008 and present day – and tells the story of DC Maggie Brand, played by Tamsin Greig (Episodes, Friday Night Dinner) who investigates the disappearance of little Callum Reid.

Lulled into a false sense of security by the backdrop of an annual neighbourhood barbecue during the summer of 2008, Claire and Daniel Reid (played by Katherine Kelly and Darren Boyd) revel in the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere whilst enjoying the company of their friends. Amidst the noise and chaos as everyone looks forward to the evening, little Callum Reid plays contentedly. When copious amounts of alcohol are consumed however, tempers flare and an ugly, violent scene rapidly changes the mood of the evening.

In the hours following the barbecue, Callum goes missing and nothing is ever the same again.

Five years on, Arcadian Gardens is a very different place. An address synonymous with tragedy. The grief-stricken parents and their neighbours lives were torn apart by the events of that long hot weekend in August. Even after all this time the wounds are still raw. Not least for Callum’s big brother, Luke, who was only six when he disappeared.

Then, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of his disappearance, Callum’s body is discovered, buried only yards from his own front door, and the nightmare begins all over again.

DCI Maggie Brand (Tamsin Greig) leads the new investigation. Pregnant when Callum went missing, debilitating morning sickness had forced her to step down from the original investigation. Her son, Sam, was born only a few months after Callum disappeared. Now he’s starting school and Maggie has to deal with her own feelings of loss, as she confronts the reality that her little boy is very different to the other children in his class. Driven by her obsession to discover what happened to Callum, Maggie leaves no stone unturned risking her own happy family life with husband Jeb, played by Jamie Sives (Secret State, Game of Thrones) and young son Sam.

The series is produced by Hartswood Films with Producer Elaine Cameron (Sherlock, Jekyll, After Thomas) and Executive Producer Beryl Vertue (Sherlock, Jekyll). Ed Bazalgette (Endeavour, A Mother’s Son) will direct.

Filming of ‘The Guilty‘ is currently underway and will continue throughout April and May.