Graham Norton's Forever Home to be adapted into a 5 drama

It's a darkly emotional story about marriage, family and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her children.

5 has announced a new six-part adaptation of Graham Norton's bestselling novel Forever Home, which follows the story of a second wife dealing with the memories of the woman who went before her.

When Carol discovers a long-dead body hidden in the basement of her home, the horrific realisation is undeniable. She's living with a killer.

The story that her husband's first wife ran away never to be seen again now looks like a lie, and the fact he’s insisted on never selling the house suddenly makes sense. But one dark family secret is soon to be replaced by another…

Confirmed cast include Amy Nuttall, Douglas Henshall, Denise Welch, Kevin Whately, Samantha Bond, Lewis Cope, Jenny Walser, Shane Zaza and James Baxter.

Speaking ahead of the show airing, Graham Norton said "In writing Forever Home, I was initially inspired by the simple idea of packing up a home later in life, and the “what if” scenarios and complexities that come with later-life relationships. The novel soon evolved into a funny, twisted, ‘dark-romp’ full of farcical scenes and it’s wonderful to see the depth and richness of Carol’s story realized as a screenplay."

To which 5's Commissioning Editor, Paul Testar, added "We’re delighted to partner with FilmNation and The Mediapro Studio to bring Graham Norton’s compelling novel to UK screens, supported by an outstanding cast. Working with North East Screen again to champion local filming has been a pleasure, and we can’t wait for viewers to immerse themselves in Forever Home."

Written by Clara Salaman, Forever Home will be co-produced by FilmNation Entertainment and The Mediapro Studio, and supported by the North East Production Fund and North East Screen.

It'll be produced by Will Nicholson, directed by Paul Gay and Claire Winyard and executive produced by Graham Norton alongside Clara Salaman, Kirstie Macdonald, Erika Kennair and JC Acosta.

Speaking about the series, FilmNation TV UK's Creative Director, Kirstie Macdonald, said "From the moment I read the always-hilarious Graham Norton’s brilliant novel, I knew I wanted to bring Forever Home to the screen. It’s a story full of twists and turns, secrets, and emotional depth that we can’t wait to bring to life for 5 audiences. We’re proud to collaborate with Clara Salaman, 5, and our partners at The Mediapro Studio on this thrilling adaptation and are grateful for the support of North East Screen."

To which Erika Kennair, Head of Scripted at The Mediapro Studio US & Canada, added "We are thrilled to partner with the talented Clara Salaman, the groundbreaking FilmNation and the iconic 5 to bring Graham Norton’s exciting and witty book to life."

And Gayle Woodruffe, Operations Director at North East Screen, said "Forever Home is our 15th production supported by the North East Production Fund, a fund which is helping to attract more production to the North East of England and has invested £2.37m in productions so far."

"We’re delighted to be working in partnership with FilmNation and 5 and are looking forward to welcoming the production team to Northumberland, a county which has the perfect locations to suit the story."

"The North East is fast becoming a hub of TV production and our Film Office and Skills teams have been working closely with the production team to pull together amazing local crew and companies and offer some outstanding opportunities to work in TV."

Forever Home will air on 5