Channel 5 and Acorn TV have announced the full cast for their upcoming murder mystery series “Murder Before Evensong,” based on the bestselling novel by the Reverend Richard Coles. The six-part drama, now in production in the West Midlands, will star Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter) as Canon Daniel Clement.
Amanda Redman (New Tricks) leads the supporting cast as Daniel’s widowed mother Audrey, alongside a talented ensemble including Amit Shah (Happy Valley), Adam James (The Day of the Jackal), Tamzin Outhwaite (The Wives), and Marion Bailey (The Crown).
The series follows Canon Daniel Clement, who inadvertently divides his parish when he proposes installing a lavatory in the church. The seemingly minor issue uncovers long-buried secrets in the village, and tensions escalate when a body is discovered at the back of the church, stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs. As more deaths follow, Daniel must both hold his fractured community together and help catch a killer.
“Murder Before Evensong” has been adapted by Nick Hicks-Beach, known for his work on crime dramas including “Lewis,” “DCI Banks,” and “Midsomer Murders.” David Moore (Fool Me Once, Outlander) is directing the series.
The Reverend Richard Coles, author of the original novel and former pop star turned priest, serves as an executive producer alongside Radford Neville for The Lighthouse production company.
Filming has begun in the West Midlands with support from the West Midlands Production Fund. The series is expected to air later this year on Channel 5 in the UK, with Acorn TV holding worldwide distribution rights outside the UK.
This adaptation joins Channel 5’s growing portfolio of original drama productions, which have recently garnered critical acclaim including BAFTA wins for documentaries like “White Nanny Black Child.” For Acorn TV, the series adds to their catalog of British mystery dramas that includes “Midsomer Murders,” “Dalgliesh,” and “The Chelsea Detective.”
