This month will see filming start on a brand new ITV drama series, Dark Heart, which promises to be a compelling crime thriller like none other. Tom Riley leads the show as DI Will Wagstaffe, described as “a man haunted by the murder of his parents when he was 16 years old.” You can check out the first image of Tom in the drama below:
Tom Riley as DI Will Wagstaffe in Dark Heart
Set in London with Silverprint Pictures producing, the show is written by acclaimed screenwriter Chris Lang, who’s responsible for hit shows such as Unforgotten, A Mother’s Son, Undeniable, and Torn. Here, he writes with inspiration from characters created by novelist Adam Creed, who’s written a series of books featuring the character Will Wagstaffe.
Riley’s not the only big name who’s set to star, with Charlotte Riley, Miranda Raison, and Anjli Mohindra all also serving in the main cast. Guest appearances will also come from Claire Goose, Alex Carter, Clare Foster, and Paul Kaye.
Over six one-hour episodes, audiences will see DI Wagstaffe as a man dedicated to his work, but still haunted by the unresolved murder of his parents. It’s a cloud that forever hangs over him, affecting both his private and professional life, including his on-off romance with potential partner Sylvie (Raison).
His closest relationship is one he shares with his sister Juliette (Riley) and his young nephew Harry, who he looks after when Juliette deals with trouble from her boyfriend. They’re a pair who mean everything to him, as he has no significant partner or children of his own.
The series will be broken up into three separate stories, all dark in their own way and pushing DI Wagstaffe to places he’s never been before.
Head of Drama at ITV, Polly Hill said of the series’ return: “We’re thrilled Tom Riley has agreed to return as Will Wagstaffe in Dark Heart. As the central character, he has immersed himself in police work to seek some form of closure for what has happened in his past. It’s a gritty, emotionally driven thriller from Chris Lang which I’m only too pleased to re-commission from Kate Bartlett’s new drama label.”
Lang adds: “It’s such a treat to be able to revisit the world of DI Will Wagstaffe. For me he is that most unusual of things; a TV cop whose personal story is as compelling as the cases he investigates. I cannot wait to dive into both, alongside our incredibly talented creative team, and of course, the hugely talented Mr Riley.”
Dark Heart is set to return following the huge success of the pilot episode, which aired on ITV Encore in 2016. The pilot makes up the first two episodes of the new series.