2 December 2019
Nineteenth century crime drama, Miss Scarlet and The Duke, co-produced by A+E International and Element 8 Entertainment, will be airing on UKTV's dedicated crime drama channel Alibi next year. The pre-investment deal was brokered by UKTV's head of acquisitions, Emma Sparks.
The series will debut on PBS in the U.S and it has also been sold CBC Canada, Yandex (Russia), Seven (Australia), Lightbox (New Zealand), RTL Germany, Mesimvria (Cyprus) and OTE (Greece).
Patrick Vien, Group Managing Director, International, A+E Networks International said: "We are absolutely thrilled with the global momentum for this new series, built on a strong line-up of top tier international broadcasters and kicking off under the auspices of the world renowned, multi-award-winning MASTERPIECE franchise. It is also extremely gratifying that our co-pro division has taken flight in a such short time with this series and a number of other scripted and unscripted projects already in the works."
Miss Scarlet and The Duke (6 x 1 hour) stars Kate Phillips (Peaky Blinders, The Crown, Downton Abbey feature film) opposite Stuart Martin (Medici, Jamestown), who plays Detective Inspector Wellington aka the Duke. His nickname derived from not only sharing the same name as the great 19th century war hero The Duke of Wellington, but also the same reputation for being a leader of men.
SAG Award-winning actor Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey) portrays Eliza Scarlet's late father, Henry Scarlet. Henry is at the very heart of the show through flashbacks and in Eliza's imagination as they explore the special and often complicated relationship between a father and daughter.
Andrew Gower (Carnival Row, Black Mirror, Outlander) plays Rupert Parker, Eliza's business partner and friend. At the start of the series he invests in Eliza's new detective agency and is one of the few encouraging voices on her side.
Ansu Kabia (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Murder on the Orient Express) plays Moses, a well-known crook from Jamaica who, despite the Duke's objections, Eliza sometimes hires for a variety of jobs, making use of his skills and knowledge of the world.
Produced in Dublin, Miss Scarlet and The Duke is created and written by Rachael New (Grantchester for ITV, The Mallorca Files for BBC). Ben Edwards (Trollied, Stella) is a contributing writer. The series is directed by Declan O'Dwyer (Free Rein, Atlantis) and also features Helen Norton (Ella Enchanted, Raw), Cathy Belton (Philomena, Red Rock) and Danny Midwinter (From Hell, Interview with a Hitman). Todd Berger, Patrick Irwin, Jin Ishimoto, Patricia Lenahan Ishimoto, Harvey Myman, Rachael New and Declan O'Dwyer are executive producers.
Miss Scarlet and The Duke is a full-throttle crime drama about the first ever female detective in Victorian London. When Eliza Scarlet's father dies, he leaves her penniless in a time where marriage is the only option for financial security. But the headstrong Eliza has an ace up her bonnet; her father's business, a detective agency. But to operate in this man's world she needs a partner.
Step forward consummate rogue Detective Inspector William Wellington of Scotland Yard, aka "The Duke". Eliza and Duke strike up a mismatched, fiery relationship as they team up to solve crime in the murkiest depths of 1880's London.
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Notes for Editors:
For more information, please contact:
Ali Laurie, Network Communications Executive, UKTV
Kelly Phelps, Publicist, UKTV
About Alibi
Sky 132/826, Virgin 126/200, BT 312/382, TalkTalk 312, TV Player
On demand on Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk
Alibi is the only TV channel dedicated to crime drama, investigating the best selection from the genre and premiering hit series from around the world such as Harrow, Waco and I Am The Night. Committed to UKTV Original series with guaranteed thrills, twists and turns, Alibi has commissioned Traces, starring Molly Windsor and Martin Compston, which will air later this year, and We Hunt Together for 2020.
Now in its 13th series, Murdoch Mysteries has found a safe space on the channel while some of British TV's best-known detectives, including Miss Marple, enjoy a trip down memory lane. Hit British crime dramas including Death in Paradise, Father Brown and Silent Witness give the viewers another chance to catch their favourite shows.