29 April 2024 – Further casting is now confirmed for Bookish (6x70'), a brand-new drama created by Emmy Award-winning writer Mark Gatiss, for UKTV's specialist crime drama channel Alibi. The series is produced by Eagle Eye Drama and filming is now underway in Belgium. As international partner, Beta Film is handling the world sales.

Blake Harrison (Still Up, World on Fire) joins the returning core cast members as Sergeant Morris, with Rosie Cavaliero (The Power of Parker, Funny Woman), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (Bodies, The Great), Tom Forbes (Champion, Rules of the Game), Amanda Drew (The Gold, Wolf) Luke Norris (Poldark, The Girl Before), Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife, Passenger) and Michael Workéyè (Playdate, This is Going to Hurt) confirmed to guest star.

Mark Gatiss writes and stars as the erudite and unconventional Gabriel Book who, from his antiquarian bookshop, helps the police to solve a variety of mysterious crimes. With three main cases in the series, each storyline spans two-episode instalments.

London, 1946 is the dynamic, dangerous and chaotic setting for this stylish new detective drama, with the eccentric Gabriel Book (Gatiss) at the very heart of the story: a self-appointed consultant detective to the local police. The thousands of books that line the shelves of his shop provide him with all the knowledge he needs.

Book has gathered around him a host of lovable, damaged misfits whom he informally protects, cajoles, and mentors. His wife Trottie (Polly Walker) runs the wallpaper shop next door. She's a charismatic adventuress whom Book loves deeply but not physically, for they are in a 'lavender' marriage to help conceal Book's sexual orientation in a time when it was illegal to be gay.

Bookish marries post-war nostalgia with the reckless and life-affirming atmosphere of the times, creating a fast-paced and stylish detective drama.

The UKTV Original series has been commissioned by Helen Perry, head of drama for UKTV, and ordered by Emma Ayech, channel director for Alibi, and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning. Executive producers for Eagle Eye Drama are Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino. The series is co-written with Matthew Sweet and will be directed by Carolina Giammetta (Suspect S2, Hollington Drive) and produced by Christopher Arcache (Hotel Portofino).

The series is being produced in association with Happy Duck Films and is supported by the Belgian Tax Shelter.

Bookish is the latest UKTV Original drama for Alibi. Other recently announced series include I, Jack Wright, written by Chris Lang and starring Nikki Amuka-Bird and John Simm. The Red King, starring Anjli Mohindra, Adjoa Andoh and Marc Warren, is currently airing on Wednesdays at 9pm, with all episodes available as a boxset.

Photo: (L-R) Mark Gatiss and Polly Walker on set