She Lies in Wait (w.t.), a Clapperboard Studios-produced thriller based on the Jonah Sheens series of novels created by Gytha Lodge, has secured a commission at ITV.
Adapted for television by acclaimed screenwriter Ed Whitmore, the series stars Martin McCann as DI Jonah Sheens, tasked with investigating the disappearance of a teenager while on a camping trip with friends. The series jumps back and forth between the 2002 investigation and the present day. Marc Evans directs the six-parter, produced by Clapperboard Studios in association with STUDIO TF1. The series is being exec-produced by Clapperboard MD Mike Benson and Rachel Gesua.
“She Lies in Wait (w.t.), adapted from the novel by Gytha Lodge, is a perfect fit for television,” said Nana Hughes, commissioner at ITV. “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.”
Benson noted, “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.”
Whitmore commented, “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.”
The series is filming in Ireland.
