A psychological thriller about lust, manipulation and betrayal after a student falls in love with her married lecturer is one of a raft of new original dramas announced by Channel 5.
Penned by Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee, The Deceived centres around English student Ophelia, who find herself trapped in a world where she can no longer trust her own mind after her affair ends in a shocking death.
The broadcaster has also announced three-part drama Penance, inspired by Kate O’Riordan’s novel of the same name, which follows the lives of Rosalie and Luke Douglas and their teenage daughter, Maddie.
After the death of their son, Rosalie and Luke’s marriage is under immense strain, and Maddie and Rosalie find themselves in the caring hands of Jed, a charming and charismatic young man they encounter at bereavement counselling, who is suffering under the weight of his own grief.
Jed rekindles a hope for the future within the Douglas household. But, underneath, a deadly and morally corrupt triangle is taking shape.
O’Riordan will be writing episodes one and three and Bancroft writer Ben Morris will script episode two.
So thrilled that #BarbaraMachin's adaptation of #TheSmallHand will be coming to @channel5_tv! 👻🤝😱 https://t.co/utCpiXSljj
— The Agency (@TALLAgent) August 21, 2019
Channel 5 has also commissioned a feature-length adaptation of Susan Hill’s novel The Small Hand, adapted by writer Barbara Machin.
The two-hour drama will follow Adam Snow, an antique book dealer who finds himself haunted by the ghost of a young boy, prompting him to investigate the strange occurrences within his life.
As Adam delves deeper, he suffers nightmares and panic attacks as he receives further, increasingly sinister visits from the ghost, ultimately revealing a haunting secret from his own childhood.
It has also been announced that Blood, starring Adrian Dunbar, will return for a second series, with Ian Lloyd Anderson, Fiona Bell and Denis Conway all joining the cast.
The series opens with Jim returning from abroad to find his family in conflict, ultimately leading to a horrific tragedy.
Sebastian Cardwell, acquisitions manager at Channel 5, said: “These exciting new dramas announced today is testament to Channel 5’s creative ambition in the genre.
“We have engaged with a wealth of industry talent and look forward to announcing further drama projects in the near future.”