The BBC's next big drama is here and it has quite the title - The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies.

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The series stars Rebekah Staton, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Alistair Petrie, and follows two victims of a conman - one many years after the fact, the other as she becomes his next target.

The series comes from writers Ginny and Penelope Skinner and also features stars including Romola Garai and Sir Derek Jacobi. But when will the series be released, what is it about and who else stars in it?

Read on for everything you need to know about The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies.

When will The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies be released?

Cheryl (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) in The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies, wearing a blue robe and holding a book
Cheryl (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) in The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies. BBC/Sister Pictures/Ludovic Robert

The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies will officially start airing at 9pm on Tuesday 29th August on BBC One. New episodes will then air weekly.

Meanwhile, the full series will become available on 29th August on BBC iPlayer.

What is The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies about?

Alice (Rebekah Staton) in The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies wearing a pink jacket, hiding behind a tree
Alice (Rebekah Staton) in The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies. BBC/Sister Pictures/Ludovic Robert

The official synopsis for The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies says: "This is the story of two very different women (Alice Newman and Cheryl Harker) and the conman (Dr Rob Chance) they have in common; a dark, funny and unpredictable thriller about three remarkable characters trapped in a tangled triangle of complexly layered half-truths and lies of epic proportions.

"Cheryl (Jean-Baptiste) is a best-selling fantasy fiction author who, recently bereaved, now lives alone with her poodle, Goblin. Alice (Staton) is a formidable but long-underestimated PA who lives in a bungalow with her young son, magician partner.

"Rob (Petrie) is an eccentric and celebrated ecopreneur (allegedly). Three apparent strangers with nothing in common... except Rob’s dupes, deceptions and delusions.

"We all know the story of the dastardly yet charming conman who pulls off a devilish con. That story is as old as the con itself. This is not that story. This is a story about lies and artifice, about our weakness for self-deception, and about the rapid ascent of the modern fraudster.

"It is the story of an unexpected friendship between two very different women and the power they’ll discover when they raise their voices in joyous rage. As they finally find the courage and self-belief to take charge, the con is on to try and take a sociopathic predator down."

Who features in the cast for The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies?

The cast of The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies is led by Rebekah Staton (Doctor Who), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Broadchurch) and Alistair Petrie (Sex Education). Meanwhile, they are joined by the likes of Romola Garai (Becoming Elizabeth) and Derek Jacobi (The Crown) in supporting roles.

You can find a full list of the central cast for the series right here:

  • Rebekah Staton as Alice Newman
  • Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Cheryl Harker
  • Alistair Petrie as Rob Chance
  • Romola Garai as Juno Fish
  • Derek Jacobi as Sir Ralph Unwin
  • Julian Barratt as Benjy Dhillon
  • Karl Johnson as Bill Newman
  • Ellie Haddington as Diane

Is there a trailer for The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies?

You can watch the trailer for The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies right here now.

The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies will launch with weekly episodes on BBC One from 29th August. All episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer. Looking for something else to watch? Visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage.

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Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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