Kevin McKidd to lead ITV1's new thriller The Only Suspect

It's an adaptation of Louise Candlish's bestselling novel of the same name.

ITV1 has announced a new four-part psychological thriller based on Louise Candlish's bestselling novel The Only Suspect, which explores obsession, deception, and betrayal, as well as the consequences of youthful recklessness and secrets that refuse to stay hidden.

Set in a leafy London suburb, The Only Suspect follows Alex, played by Kevin McKidd, and Beth, a devoted couple whose picture-perfect suburban life hides a devastating truth. Moving between the present day and mid-90s Camden, at the height of Cool Britannia, the drama opens during the sweltering summer of 1995, when a young man buries a body during a violent storm.

Who the victim is, and why they were killed, is a mystery that tantalisingly threads through the narrative as past and present collide.

Thirty years later, another heatwave grips a very different world. The abandoned railway track where the body was hidden, running behind Alex and Beth’s street, is being transformed into a nature trail, spearheaded by Beth herself. What is a triumph for the neighbourhood instead threatens catastrophe for Alex, because Alex is the young man who buried the body.

Having spent decades living under an assumed name, Alex now faces the unravelling of everything he has built. As diggers prepare to break ground on the very spot where his secret lies, his carefully constructed life spirals - and he must decide how far he is willing to go to keep the truth buried.

On playing Alex in The Only Suspect, Kevin McKidd said "Working with ITV on The Only Suspect feels like coming home for me. As an actor, the complex and multilayered role of Alex is exciting to explore and I can’t wait to collaborate with Farren, the whole team at Red Planet Pictures and an amazing ensemble of great British actors."

To which Executive Producer Huw Kennair-Jones added "Once again, Simon Ashdown has woven a thrilling story from Louise Candlish's bestselling novel that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Brilliantly produced by the team at Red Planet, The Only Suspect promises to deliver a gripping story full of shocking revelations and twists. It promises to be a real treat for the ITV and ITVX audience."

The adaptation, from Simon Ashdown, promises to be packed with Louise Candlish’s trademark whiplash plot twists and turns that will keep viewers enthralled, delivering an intoxicating blend of emotional punch and edge-of-your-seat tension, highlighting two starkly contrasting eras. Filming will begin in London this Spring.

Made by Red Planet Pictures, a Fremantle company, The Only Suspect is adapted by Simon Ashdown, directed by Farren Blackburn, produced by Sumrah Mohammed and will be executive produced by Belinda Campbell and Tom Mullens on behalf of Red Planet Pictures, and Polly Hill and Huw Kennair-Jones for ITV.

Speaking about The Only Suspect, Executive Producer Tom Mullins said "The Only Suspect is another riveting thriller from the prolific pen of Louise Candlish and after the success of Our House, we’re excited to be working with Simon Ashdown and ITV once again. We’re also thrilled to have Kevin McKidd leading a brilliant cast and Farren Blackburn on board as director to bring this twisting tale of a man trying to escape his past, to life."

ITV's last adaptation of a Louise Candlish novel, also made by Red Planet Productions, Our House, aired in 2022 and was one of the biggest drama launches of the year with 6.3 million viewers on consolidation after 7 days of viewing.

The Only Suspect will air on ITV1