All Creatures and Rivals stars team up for new Channel 5 thriller The Rumour
The series explores how "small-town gossip can spiral out of control".
The stars of All Creatures Great and Small and Disney Plus hit Rivals are joining forces for Channel 5 drama The Rumour, in which a mother is drawn into a small-town conspiracy that she inadvertently helps to fuel.
Rachel Shenton will star in The Rumour as Joanna, a single mother who moves to the small town of Flinstead with her young son, Alfie, in the hopes of making a fresh start.
Alas, she has a difficult time making friends, finding the dynamic of the local community to be "unsettling", but stumbles upon a startling conversation-starter while surfing the web one night.
Joanna comes across a dark online rumour, which suggests that a child killer is secretly living in their seemingly sleepy town, but mentioning it to the mothers at the school gate unleashes a wave of conspiracy and paranoia that she could never have imagined.
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The synopsis reads: "Balancing her efforts to protect her son with the growing unease in town, Joanna struggles to distinguish between truth and hearsay. With relationships strained and emotions running high, the boundaries between trust and fear blur.
"The Rumour explores how quickly small-town gossip can spiral out of control, forcing Joanna to confront the unforeseen consequences of curiosity and mistrust in her search for answers."
Rachel Shenton said: "I’m really excited to play Joanna. The Rumour is a story of a woman unravelling as she relentlessly pursues the truth. She’s very relatable and the cast are amazing. It’s lovely to work with so many women."
Paul Testar, commissioning editor of drama at Channel 5, added: "The Rumour is a gripping drama about the dangerous power of secrets and gossip in a small town.
"With Lesley Kara’s captivating story and a stellar cast, this series promises edge-of-your-seat suspense and a fascinating exploration of the thin line between trust and fear."
The cast of The Rumour includes Joanne Whalley (Wolf Hall), Emily Atack (Rivals), Samuel Anderson (Doctor Who), Ellie Haddington (Motherland), Lucy Speed (Unforgotten), Liza Sadovy (A Small Light) and Carryl Thomas (EastEnders).
Also featuring in the ensemble is Tamzin Griffin (Trigger Point), Alex Waldmann (Scoop) and Okezie Morro (Baldur's Gate 3).
The Rumour will consist of five hour-long episodes written by Giula Sandler (The House Across the Street) and directed by Richard Clark (Doctor Who), which will premiere on Channel 5 at some point in 2025.
The Rumour is coming soon to Channel 5.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
