Shakespeare & Hathaway - Private Investigators
BBC Daytime announces today that Mark Benton and Jo Joyner will play the lead characters in a new BBC One daytime detective drama, Shakespeare & Hathaway - Private Investigators.
Published: 8 September 2017
The BBC One Daytime audience love to escape into a good story and this new series is full of mystery and charm. It will be brought to life by an exceptional cast
The ten-part drama from BBC Studios, created by Paul Matthew Thompson and Jude Tindall, will see Frank Hathaway (Benton), a hardboiled private investigator, and his rookie sidekick Lu Shakespeare (Joyner) form the unlikeliest of partnerships as they investigate the secrets of rural Warwickshire’s residents.
Beneath the picturesque charm lies a hotbed of mystery and intrigue: extramarital affairs, celebrity stalkers, missing police informants, care home saboteurs, rural rednecks and murderous magicians, embezzling accountants and abducted au pairs, blackmail, comp claims and custody cases, all-night stake-outs and professional hits. Our odd couple of detectives will put the world to rights as they snoop and pry. They disagree on almost everything, yet somehow, together, they make a surprisingly effective team. Although they would never admit it.
Mark Benton says: “As soon as I read the script I knew I wanted to play Frank Hathaway; he’s a chaotic and old fashioned but lovable detective. Frank and Lu are a real odd couple but they quickly become the perfect duo in an action packed, fun-filled drama. I can’t wait to get my teeth stuck into this role.”
Jo Joyner adds: “I'm really looking forward to playing Lu Shakespeare. She's quick witted, inquisitive, warm and friendly - people tend to open up to her and she's ready for a new adventure. Becoming a private investigator looks to be the perfect place to use her skills for the greater good. I'm thrilled to be working with the fantastic Mark Benton and I think viewers are going to really enjoy watching the two characters rub along together.”
Dan McGolpin, Controller BBC Programming & Daytime, says: “The BBC One Daytime audience love to escape into a good story and this new series is full of mystery and charm. It will be brought to life by an exceptional cast, we are very lucky to have Jo and Mark in the lead roles.”
Will Trotter, Head of BBC Daytime Drama, BBC Studios adds: “Shakespeare & Hathaway is a modern private eye crime drama set in Iconic Stratford-upon-Avon and leafy Warwickshire, playing upon Shakespearean themes with warm witty characters and compelling plot lines. Paul and Jude have done a fantastic job creating the show and I’m really looking forward to seeing the cast bringing it to life.”
Shakespeare & Hathaway - Private Investigators is a BBC Studios production and will be produced in Birmingham. It was commissioned by Dan McGolpin, Controller BBC Programming & Daytime.
Notes to Editors
Production credits:
Exec Producer - Will Trotter
Producer - Ella Kelly
Script Producer - Neil Irvine
Series Story Consultants - Paul Matthew Thompson and Jude Tindall
Directors - Piotr Szkopiak, Carolina Giammetta and Ian Barber
Set in Stratford-upon-Avon, filming started this week. It will be broadcast in 2018.
BBC Worldwide is the global distributor for the series.
NC2
