Lee Ingleby, Hermione Norris star in emotionally charged drama

ITV has commissioned new four-part drama, Innocent, starring Hermione Norris (Cold Feet) and Lee Ingleby (The A Word).

Written by Chris Lang (Unforgotten) and Matt Arlidge (Silent Witness), Innocent tells the story of David Collier (Ingleby) – convicted of murdering his wife Tara, David has served seven years in prison. He’s lost everything he held dear: his wife, his two children and even the house he owned. He’s always protested his innocence and faces the rest of his life behind bars.

Despised by his wife’s family and friends, his only support has been his faithful brother Phil (Daniel Ryan – Home Fires) who has sacrificed his own career and livelihood to mount a tireless campaign to prove his brother’s innocence.

Tara’s childless sister Alice (Norris) and her husband Rob (Adrian Rawlins – Dickensian) are now parents to David’s children. They’ve become a successful family unit and thanks to the proceeds of David’s estate enjoy a comfortable lifestyle, which is very different to when Tara was alive.  For Alice there’s no doubt of his guilt and she’s utterly devastated by the prospect of David’s Appeal and retrial.

DCI William Beech (Nigel Lindsay – Victoria) who led the original investigation has a lot to lose if David’s conviction is rendered unsafe.  Charges of slanting the inquiry and potential misconduct would see him professionally humiliated and even suspended. Waiting in the wings should David be acquitted is his junior DI Cathy Hudson (Angel Coulby – The Tunnel) – who is also his secret lover.

To David’s total and utter astonishment he is acquitted on a technicality and although suspicion still hangs heavy over him, he is free to walk from court and to begin the long road to rebuilding his life and to restore his reputation.

With relationships permanently fractured and David emotionally at rock bottom he finds himself in a very dark place. Will Alice accept the court’s decision and can she and David be reconciled? And what of David’s best friend Tom Wilson (Elliott Cowan – Da Vinci’s Demons) who reneged on his alibi on the night of Tara’s murder?

ITV’s Controller of Drama, Victoria Fea said: “Innocent is a contemporary relationship drama with a thriller pulse. Chris and Matt’s scripts have created an intense web of characters with interwoven lives – with a seemingly ordinary husband and father at its heart.”

Innocent begins filming this month (August 2016). Richard Clark will direct.