BBC announces Lynley adaptation with Ted Lasso, Line of Duty and Vera stars
Leo Suter will head up the "contemporary update" of the crime series about an aristocratic detective and his working-class partner.
The BBC has acquired a new adaptation of Elizabeth George's bestselling Inspector Lynley novels – which is set to be led by Vikings: Valhalla star Leo Suter.
The series – titled simply Lynley – is billed as a "contemporary update" and will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with other key cast members including Sofia Barclay (Ted Lasso), Daniel Mays (Line of Duty), Niamh Walsh (The English Game), Michael Workeye (My Lady Jane) and Joshua Sher (Vera).
Suter will star as the titular aristocratic detective, while Barclay takes on the role of his mismatched, maverick partner DS Barbara Havers.
Meanwhile, Mays plays DCI Brian Nies, who is described as "the astute, suspicious Senior Detective at Three Counties Major Incident Team, whose aversion to Lynley is partly born of his own insecurities about class and partly because he knows he’s no longer the smartest person in the room".
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It is not the first time George's novels have been adapted for the small screen, with Nathaniel Parker having previously taken on the title role in the popular series The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, which ran for six seasons on BBC One between 2001 and 2008.
An official synopsis reads: "Tommy Lynley is a brilliant police detective but an outsider in the force – simply by virtue of his aristocratic upbringing. He is paired with Barbara Havers, a sergeant with a maverick attitude and a working-class background.
"With seemingly nothing in common and against all odds, the mismatched duo of Lynley and Havers become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice done."
Speaking of the new series, George said she was "thrilled" to see another adaptation of her novels, adding that. "Watching my characters brought to life on television is a real celebration."
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Meanwhile, Steve Thompson (Vienna Blood), who will serve as screenwriter and executive producer, said: "It's a privilege and a thrill to have the opportunity to adapt these wonderful books for television. Elizabeth George's iconic characters are greatly loved and her gripping stories are smart and ingenious."
The BBC's Head of Programme Acquisition Sue Deeks added: “There is so much to enjoy in this new and exciting adaptation, both for fans of Elizabeth George’s gripping novels and of the BBC’s iconic The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, and for viewers yet to encounter the magnetic attraction of Lynley."
The series has been commissioned for four ninety-minute episodes and was commissioned by BritBox US in association with the BBC. It is currently in production in Ireland.
Lynley is coming to the BBC soon.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
