News: Acorn TV Original British Drama London Kills Casts Hugo Speer, Sharon Small, Bailey Patrick and Tori Allen-Martin




Acorn TV and Acorn Media Enterprises announce the casting for their straight-to-series commission of British drama series London Kills. As announced in March, Acorn Media Enterprises (AME), the UK-based development division for the Acorn brand of RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE), is co-producing the new series with PGMTV’s Paul Marquess (Suspects, Footballers’ Wives), who created and co-writes the series. The companies will produce two series back-to-back comprised of five one-hour episodes with filming to begin Monday, June 25, 2018. With the world’s most recognizable city as its backdrop, London Kills will dramatize the experiences of a team of top murder detectives.

Casting Announcements: 

Hugo Speer (Marcella, Britannia, The Musketeers, Father Brown) stars as Detective Inspector David Bradford, who comes back to work after his wife goes missing and there are still no significant leads on her case.

Sharon Small (Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Trust Me) stars as ambitious Detective Sergeant Vivienne Cole, who has been running the murder team in David’s absence and is frustrated by David’s approach to their investigations.

Bailey Patrick (Casualty, EastEnders) plays Detective Constable Rob Brady, an ex-soldier who acts as peacemaker between the two, warring, senior officers.

Tori Allen-Martin plays Trainee Detective Sergeant Billie Fitzgerald, a new recruit who favors DS Cole.

Guest stars in the series will include Glynis Barber (Dempsey & Makepeace, EastEnders), Melanie Gutteridge (Shakespeare & Hathaway, Holby City), Jennie Jacques (Vikings, The Delivery Man), Frances Tomelty (Catastrophe, Apple Tree Yard) and Dean Andrews (Last Tango In Halifax, Life On Mars).

Shane Murphy, Managing Director, Acorn Media Enterprises, said, “With Agatha Raisin, Series 2 already in production, Acorn Media Enterprises and Acorn TV are excited to start production on our second commission and first straight-to-series order with London Kills this month. With Paul Marquess, we’ve put together a stellar cast of detectives, headlined by Hugo Speer, Sharon Small, Bailey Patrick and Tori Allen-Martin.”

This news follows Acorn TV’s recent expansion announcement into twelve Latin American countries; commission announcements for the straight-to-series order of British drama London Kills Series 1 and 2 and Agatha Raisin, Series 2 starring Ashley Jensen; as well as co-production announcements for Irish comedy Finding Joy from Amy Huberman and Aussie comedy Sando; and the licensing of hit ABC Australia drama Mystery Road starring Judy Davis and Aaron Pedersen, British police procedural No Offence, Jack Irish, Season 2 starring Guy Pearce, and S4C drama Hidden with BBC Wales, which premieres in the U.S. on Monday, July 16. 

In 2018, Acorn TV has already featured five Originals with Series 3 of universally adored BBC comedy Detectorists starring Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones; Kay Mellor’s ITV drama Girlfriends starring Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey), Miranda Richardson, and Zoe Wanamaker (Agatha Christie’s Poirot); Irish legal drama Striking Out, Series 2 starring Amy Huberman; record-setting Welsh thriller Keeping Faith starring Eve Myles (Torchwood), and Aussie family comedy Sando.

Called “Netflix for the Anglophile” by NPR and featuring “the most robust, reliable selection of European, British, Canadian and Australian shows” by The New York Times, Acorn TV has quickly become one of the top streamers and is the greatest value in streaming at only $4.99 a month and is commercial free. Acorn TV curates the very best in international television and remains North America’s largest streaming service for international television. Acorn TV exclusively premieres several new international series and/or seasons every month from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, and other European countries.