Tabard Road

In Production: Trinity ITV2

From Roughcut TV, Ash Atalla’s (The Office, The IT Crowd ) new production company, comes Trinity, a brand new drama for ITV2.

Set in the gothic, oak panelled halls of residence and lecture theatres of the fictional Bridgeford University, Trinity College, the 8 part series will bring a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘first term nerves.’ Starring Charles Dance (Starter for Ten, Fallen Angel), Claire Skinner (Outnumbered, Life Begins, Life Is Sweet), Christian Cooke (The Last of the Van Helsings, Echo Beach/ Moving Wallpaper) Reggie Yates (Dr Who, Grange Hill) Antonia Bernath (St Trinian’s) and Isabella Calthorpe, (Harley Street, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People) going to college has never looked so good. Or been so dangerous… 

For over 900 years, Trinity has been an elite playground solely for the über rich and powerful. However for the first time in its long and illustrious history, Trinity is about to throw open its doors to students from, well, the lower social classes. 

Two weeks before Charlotte Arc (Antonia Bernath) is due to go to University to study medicine, her father, Richard Arc is found dead in mysterious circumstances. Formerly a professor at Trinity, Richard left the institution suddenly and with no explanation. Convinced he was a changed man, and certain his death is linked to his abrupt departure, she enrols, determined to uncover the truth. 

As Charlotte and her fellow students settle in, they begin to realise that all is not what it seems at Trinity. Beneath the glossy, glamorous veneer of wealth and privilege lurks a much darker world, one governed by strict codes of conduct, secret societies such as the mysterious Dandelion Club and the whims of a select group of over privileged students used to getting their own way. 

Into the closed world inhabited by the likes of languid, spoiled and manipulative Dorian (Christian Cooke), his stunning, emotionally cold cousin Rosalind (Isabelle Calthorpe) and the arrogant and sinister Professor Maltravers (Charles Dance) comes a new order. From the streetwise and fiercely intelligent Theo (Reggie Yates), total stoners Angus (Mark Wood) and Raj (Arnab Chanda) to the progressive new female Warden (Claire Skinner), along with Charlotte, these new arrivals threaten all that Trinity has stood for. 

With change sweeping through the elite academic institution, those traditionally protected by the old order find themselves increasingly exposed. And as Charlotte begins to unravel the mystery of her father’s death, she realises that Trinity’s ancient halls of learning and those charged with protecting the secrets within, aren’t about to give them up without a fight. 

TRINITY is a Roughcut TV production for ITV2, commissioned by Laura Mackie, Director of Drama for Zai Bennett, Controller of ITV2. The series is Executive Produced by Ash Atalla. It is produced by Sue Howells (The Bill, Casualty Drop the Dead Donkey) is written and devised by Robin French (Man Stroke Woman, Roomates, Roomies) and Kieron Quirke(Roomates, Roomies, The Armstrong and Miller Show), is directed by Colin Teague (Dr Who, Torchwood), Stephen Woolfenden (Echo Beach, Harry Potter ), Declan O’Dwyer (Being Human, Wire in the Blood, Robin Hood), is 8 x 1 hour and filming starts in Summer 2008. 

Zai Bennett says: “Hot on the heels of the phenomenal success of Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Trinity is set to further cement ITV2’s growing reputation as the place to see dynamic, sexy home grown dramas. Breaking a host of gorgeous, up-and-coming new talent alongside great established names, the heightened world of Trinity is a place I’m sure our viewers will want to spend time in.”

Ash Atalla says:

“Trinity is a high octane, ball breaking drama. It’s full of casual sex, casual drugs and casual murder. What more could you ask for? I’m very excited to be making it and its great to be working with the good people at ITV2.”

Julia Mckenzie Leads An All Star Cast In Her Second Outing As The Nation’s Favourite Spinster Sleuth, Miss Marple

Julia McKenzie is once again joined by a stellar cast for Murder Is Easy, the second two hour film in the new series of Agatha Christie’s Marple for ITV1. 

The cast includes BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH (Atonement, Stuart: A Life Backwards), SHIRLEY HENDERSON (Harry Potter, Dirty Filthy Love), ANNA CHANCELLOR (Spooks, Tipping The Velvet), HUGO SPEER (Bleak House, The Full Monty), JEMMA REDGRAVE (Cold Blood, Mansfield Park), STEVE PEMBERTON (Benidorm, The League of Gentlemen), JAMES LANCE (Moving Wallpaper, Teachers), MARGO STILLEY (9 Songs, How To Lose Friends and Alienate People), SYLVIA SYMS (The Queen), DAVID HAIG (My Boy Jack, Dickens’ Secret Lover), RUSSELL TOVEY (Gavin & Stacey, The History Boys), TIM BROOKE TAYLOR (I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again, The Goodies), LYNDSEY MARSHAL (Rome) and CAMILLA ARFWEDSON (Sex, The City & Me). 

During a chance encounter on a train, the elderly Miss Pinkerton (Syms) confides in Miss Marple that she is about to report a murderer who has already struck several times in the peaceful village of Wychwood-under-Ashe. When Miss Marple reads that Miss Pinkerton died in a tragic accident before making her report, she determines that it is now up to her to find out who the killer is.

Charming her way into village life, Miss Marple is befriended by Luke Fitzwilliam (Cumberbatch), a handsome former policeman who is increasingly drawn to the mysterious and beautiful young American Bridget Conway (Stilley). But when the sudden deaths of the belligerent local GP, Dr Humbleby (Brooke Taylor) and the maid of Honoria Waynflete (Henderson) leaves Reverend Wake (Pemberton) busy with funeral services, Luke finds himself becoming Miss Marple’s confidante and ally in the search for the truth. 

It’s not long before the bereaved Jessie Humbleby (Redgrave) loses her grip on reality. Meanwhile, a local General Election gathers pace as its two opponents pit their wits against one another. The nervous Constable Reed (Tovey) steps in, turning to Miss Marple for guidance in the murky waters of his first murder case. At last, Miss Marple prepares to reveal a secret so shocking the village will never be the same again…

MURDER IS EASY is written by Stephen Chruchett (who has adapted for previous Marple series) and is directed by Hettie Macdonald (White Girl, The Fixer). Karen Thrussell produces both current Marple and Poirot series. 

Star of stage and screen, Julia McKenzie most recently appeared in Cranford as Mrs Forrester and the critically acclaimed Notes On A Scandal. Earlier credits include Fresh Fields, Bright Young Things and Blott On The Landscape. On stage Julia recently starred in The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic, and has many award wins and nominations to her name, both on Broadway and in the West End. She won an Olivier for her performance as Mrs Lovett in the National Theatre production of Sweeny Todd.

Agatha Christie’s Marple is co-produced by Granada, Agatha Christie Ltd and WGBH Boston. Granada International, who brokered the US co-production deal, holds worldwide distribution rights. Michele Buck; Damien Timmer; Phil Clymer, Chorion’s Director of TV & Film and Rebecca Eaton of WGBH are Executive Producers. American audiences watch the Marple series on Masterpiece Mystery! on PBS.