Martin McCann is set to lead a new six-part ITV thriller about a teenager who mysteriously vanishes during a camping trip in the New Forest.
The actor, known for Blue Lights, Trespasses, Hostage and Say Nothing, will play DI Jonah Sheens in She Lies in Wait (w/t), adapted from Gytha Lodge's novel by acclaimed screenwriter Ed Whitmore.
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The atmospheric drama has now begun filming in Ireland and will move between the events of 2002 and a present-day police investigation.
What is ITV drama She Lies in Wait about?
In July 2002, seven teenagers head into Brinken Wood, part of the New Forest, for a camping trip.
Only six of them emerge from the forest after 15-year-old Aurora mysteriously disappears without a trace.
Her disappearance sparks an extensive police investigation, alongside public appeals from her family.
More than two decades later, the surviving teenagers are now in their early 40s and have successful careers.
However, as the investigation returns to the events of that fateful summer, the group's carefully guarded secrets begin to emerge.
They all claim to be innocent, but someone must be lying.
When is She Lies in Wait coming to ITV?
ITV has commissioned She Lies in Wait (w/t) as a six-part drama.
The series has now started filming in Ireland, although a broadcast date has not yet been announced.
The thriller is based on Gytha Lodge's Jonah Sheens series of novels and has been adapted for television by Ed Whitmore.
Whitmore's previous credits include Grace, Memory of a Killer, Silent Witness and Manhunt.
Who is in the cast of She Lies in Wait?
Martin McCann plays leading character DI Jonah Sheens, a likeable, meticulous and hardworking detective who is deeply committed to his job.
Ella Dacres plays DC Anita Hanson, an enthusiastic new recruit who has recently moved out of uniform and begins her first day in CID working alongside Sheens.
Stephen Tompkinson plays experienced DS Donald Tudor.
The ensemble cast also includes Jemima Rooper as Topaz Keating, Al Weaver as Callum Dalton, Ben Bailey Smith as Brett Anderson and Bradley James as Daniel "Benners" Benham.
Jade Harrison plays JoJo Maggins, while Olivia Mace takes on the role of Coralie Ribbans.
The actors portray the surviving members of the group in the present day, more than 20 years after Aurora's disappearance.
Who plays DI Jonah Sheens in She Lies in Wait?
Martin McCann takes on the role of DI Jonah Sheens.
Jonah is outwardly calm, industrious and meticulous, but he is also guarded and reluctant to discuss his personal life.
When Aurora's body is discovered in a hollow deep in the forest near the teenagers' original camping site, Sheens is assigned to investigate.
He is joined by newly recruited DC Anita Hanson, who is eager to prove herself and quickly begins following her own instincts.
Anita's approach puts her at odds with Sheens, but her investigation eventually uncovers his deeply personal connection to the case.
The discovery threatens to bring Jonah's entire world crashing down.
What happened to Aurora in She Lies in Wait?
Aurora disappeared during the teenagers' camping trip in Brinken Wood in 2002.
The surviving group includes Aurora's sister Topaz, along with Callum, Benners, JoJo, Coralie and Brett.
In the present day, the discovery of Aurora's body forces the group to revisit what happened during the early hours of that devastating morning.
As the investigation develops, potential motives begin to emerge and old friendships are tested by accusations of lust, betrayal, rivalry and murder.
The mystery also raises questions about a van spotted by Callum and JoJo in the village of Lyndhurst the morning after Aurora disappeared.
The pair's sighting could hold an important clue about what happened to Aurora.
Who is making She Lies in Wait for ITV?
She Lies in Wait is directed by BAFTA award-winning Marc Evans, whose credits include Mr Burton, Manhunt, Out There and Steeltown Murders.
The drama is produced by Clapperboard Studios in association with STUDIO TF1. Mike Benson and Rachel Gesua serve as co-executive producers, while Myf Hopkins is the producer.
The series has been commissioned by ITV's Director of Drama Polly Hill and Commissioner Nana Hughes.
Nana Hughes said: "She Lies in Wait (w/t), adapted from the novel by Gytha Lodge, is a perfect fit for television. We're excited to be working with such a talented creative team in Ed Whitmore, Marc Evans and Clapperboard to adapt this exceptional book for the screen and introduce the brilliant characters to a whole new audience. And welcoming the exceptionally talented Martin McCann to the role as DI Jonah Sheens."
Mike Benson added: "We're delighted to be working with a brilliant team on the project, led by such smart and respected creatives in Ed, Marc and Myf. The scripts are so rich with intrigue and nostalgia and we were really thrilled the supremely talented Martin McCann agreed to lead the series as the complicated – and potentially compromised – Jonah Sheens. It's hugely exciting to be working for the first time with the team at ITV and we can't wait to bring the adaption of Gytha's wonderful novel to our screens."
Ed Whitmore said: "Seven teenagers went into the forest in 2002 but only six came out. When I heard the premise of Gytha Lodge's She Lies in Wait I was hooked. But when I read the novel itself I was gripped, entranced and moved.
"Gripped by its vertiginous plot twists, entranced by its heady New Forest setting, and moved by its rich gallery of unforgettable characters. I was utterly certain this was a story I wanted to bring to the screen and in collaborating with Clapperboard Studios and director Marc Evans, I'm lucky enough to be part of a truly stellar creative team."
She Lies in Wait (w/t) will air on ITV, with further broadcast details to be announced.
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