Initial images have been unveiled for “Truelove,” Channel 4’s distinctive thriller produced by Clerkenwell Films, the team behind the BAFTA award-winning series “The End of the Fing World.” The drama, scripted by Iain Weatherby (Humans) and co-conceived with Charlie Covell (The End of the Fing World), is set to premiere on Channel 4 in the early part of the next year.
The images showcase Lindsay Duncan (Birdman, About Time) as Phil, a retired ex-police chief leading a comfortable yet uneventful life in retirement, and Clarke Peters (The Wire, Da 5 Bloods) as Ken, a divorced former special forces veteran who shares a similar sense of aimlessness. Phil and Ken were teenage sweethearts, and despite life moving forward, they have never quite managed to forget each other. The images also feature their close friends: Sue Johnston (The Royle Family) as Marion, Karl Johnson (Mum) as Tom, Peter Egan (Downton Abbey) as David, and Kiran Sonia Sawar (Murdered by My Father) as Ayesha, a young police officer with a hunch that there’s more to this group of friends than meets the eye. The supporting cast includes Phil Davis (Trying) as Nigel and Fiona Button (The Split) as Kate.
With a central cast in their 70s, “Truelove” challenges the norms for older characters on screen, subverting age-related stereotypes in a series that promises riveting plot twists, irreverent humour, and fervent romance. This group of old friends make a solemn pact: rather than allow each other to suffer a slow and agonising decline, they’ll step in and orchestrate a dignified passing. In essence, they’ll aid one another in passing away when the moment is right. Because, as they all concur, that’s a testament of true love. However, what begins as a whimsical notion soon transforms into a staggering reality…
“Truelove” grapples with the most complex ethical dilemmas out there – is it ever justifiable to assist in ending a life? It’s also a tale of love, reigniting a long-extinguished romantic spark between two individuals who missed their chance with each other in their youth, granting them a second opportunity to embrace the love of their lives before time elapses.
Clerkenwell Films (The End of the F***ing World) is the production house behind “Truelove” for Channel 4, and it’s been greenlit by Channel 4’s Head of Drama, Caroline Hollick, and Commissioning Editor, Rebecca Holdsworth. The executive producers at Clerkenwell Films include Emily Harrison, Andy Baker, Petra Fried, and Charlie Langdell. Charlie Covell and Iain Weatherby are also serving as executive producers. Chloë Wicks (The Flatshare, On the Edge: Cradled) and Carl Tibbetts (The Tunnel, Black Mirror) will direct, with Alex Walsh-Taylor (Cheaters, Lovesick) handling production. BBC Studios, which holds complete ownership of Clerkenwell Films, will oversee international distribution for the series.
