Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth to lead new ITV1 crime thriller 'The Blame'

Expect secrets, suspicion and systemic corruption.

ITV1 has today announced The Blame, a gripping new crime thriller starring Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth, which dives into secrets, suspicion and systemic corruption - all under the surface of this seemingly quiet town.

The six-part drama, based on the debut novel of the same name by Charlotte Langley, promises complex characters, unexpected twists with a mystery at its core.

It begins when the body of teenage figure skater Sophie Madsen is discovered, sending shockwaves through the town of Wakestead.

As DI Crane, played by Michelle Keegan and DI Radley, played by Douglas Booth, dig deeper, what starts as a tragic death, spirals into a tangled web of lies, institutional cover-ups, and moral compromise.

As the clock ticks and trust fractures, Crane must navigate both a murder investigation and the treacherous politics inside her own team.

Starring alongside Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth will be Ian Hart as DCI Kenneth Walker, Nathan Mensah as DC Lewis, Nigel Boyle as digital forensic technician Brett Shergill, Joe Armstrong as ice-skating coach Kyle Frasier, and Matilda Freeman as Sophie Madsen.

Other cast members include Gavin Spokes, Josh Bolt and Ceallach Spellman who are part of the Wakestead Police team as DC Joel Stevens, DC Douglas James and PC Callum Drummond.

Produced by Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios), The Blame has been written, developed for television and executive produced by Megan Gallagher who is lead writer alongside series co-writers Ashley Sanders and Namsi Khan.

The Blame will be produced by Matt Stevens with Sara Huxley as co-producer and directed by Bex Rycroft forthe first three episodes, and Claire Tailyour for episodes 4-6. And it'll be executive produced by Nicola Shindler and Richard Fee for Quay Street Productions and Polly Hill for ITV.

Speaking about The Blame, ITV's Director of Drama, Polly Hill, said "The Blame is a brilliant new crime thriller full of surprising twists and a compelling investigation that also cleverly tackles police corruption, exploitation and misogyny as the thriller unravels. Megan is such a wonderful and clever writer, and with Michelle Keegan in the lead and Nicola Shindler at the helm, this is going to be an unmissable drama and one I’m very proud to have on ITV."

To which executive producers Nicola Shindler and Richard Fee added "We are so delighted to be working with Megan again, she is an exceptional writer who has written a compelling series taking viewers on a twisty journey to discover what really happened through the lens of a contemporary police station brimming with secrets, corruption, and betrayal. We are also thrilled at the brilliant cast led by Michelle and Douglas, who will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering who to trust at a time when the themes explored in The Blame are more relevant than ever."

And lead writer and executive producer Megan Gallagher said "The Blame is such an important and urgent story to tell; I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to bring Charlotte Langley’s world and characters to life on screen. It’s my second collaboration with Quay Street Productions, and it’s great to be working with the team again - I’m truly in the best hands."

The Blame will air on ITV1