UKTV today announces the commission of the brand-new series, Mudtown (6×1 hour), for its leading crime drama channel, Alibi. The six-part series is a co-commission with Welsh language free-to-air channel S4C and All3Media International. The series is produced by Severn Screen and has begun filming, shooting back-to-back in both English and Welsh language.
Mudtown centres around life at Newport’s Magistrates Court. This gripping new drama is written by exciting new writing duo Hannah Daniel (star of Keeping Faith, Holby City) and Georgia Lee, who also sits on the Bench as a Magistrate. All3Media International will handle distribution of the series outside the UK.
Erin Richards (Gotham, The Crown) is set to take the lead as Claire Lewis Jones, alongside Tom Cullen (The Gold, Becoming Elizabeth) as St Pete, Matthew Gravelle (Broadchurch, Steeltown Murders) as Alun Lewis Jones, Lauren Morais (The Red King) as Beca Lewis Jones, Lloyd Meredith (The Red King, Gran Turismo) as Sonny Higgins, Kimberly Nixon (The Salisbury Poisonings, Life and Death in the Warehouse) as Sara Humphries, Sion Pritchard (Pila Pala, The Indian Doctor) as Davey Johns and Ifan Huw Dafydd (The Light in the Hall, Requiem) as Owen Williams.
Georgia Lee and Hannah Daniel said: “We are thrilled at the opportunity to represent the untold world of the magistrate’s court, shot through with an authentic South Walian spirit. We couldn’t be more excited about bringing the characters and this thrilling story to the screen with such strong partners.”
The series follows experienced Magistrate Claire Lewis Jones as she faces personal turmoil while presiding over cases at Newport Magistrates Court. When Ned Humphries, a childhood friend of Beca, Claire’s daughter, faces arson charges, Claire’s loyalty to her community is put to the test. Matters are made worse when local criminal kingpin Saint Pete appears on the scene. Claire and Saint Pete go back a long way – will her past come back to threaten her present? As she delves deeper into the case, and suspicions grow around her daughter’s new bad-boy boyfriend, Sonny Higgins, Claire uncovers a web of criminal activity that could put her and her family at risk.
As the truth emerges and consequences unfold, Claire must confront her own biases and decisions. The lines between right and wrong become blurred, leaving Claire in muddy waters as her maternal instincts clash with her commitment to uphold the law.
The UKTV Original series has been commissioned by Helen Perry, head of drama for UKTV, and ordered for Alibi by Emma Ayech, channel director, and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning. Executive Producer for Severn Screen is Ed Talfan and the series will be produced by Hannah Thomas (Steeltown Murders, Hidden) and directed by Rhys Carter (Yr Amgueddfa, Enid a Lucy) and Chris Forster (Hidden, The Light in the Hall). Mudtown (Ar y Ffin in Welsh) was commissioned for Welsh language broadcaster S4C by head of scripted, Gwenllian Gravelle, and will air first in late 2024 on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer.
Helen Perry said: “It’s brilliant to be working with Severn Screen and partnering with S4C, for the first time, alongside All3Media International. I’m thrilled that we get to bring Hannah and Georgia’s razor-sharp scripts to life in a way that will make our audiences laugh, cry, gasp and stay on the edge of their seats. The characters are colourful, the crimes are complex, the twists are non-stop, and the whole show is shot through with wit. This series will give our Alibi audiences a very different type of legal drama and I can’t wait to introduce them to it.”
Emma Ayech added: “As we continue to expand Alibi’s roster of UKTV originals, we’re committed to delivering top-tier content to our audiences, and Mudtown is no exception. This brand-new series brings a fresh lens on crime and the local legal profession, as well as some fantastic new characters to add to Alibi’s rich line up. Mudtown is fast-paced, witty and gripping, and we are thrilled to bring this exciting new series to our viewers.”
Ed Talfan at Severn Screen said: “We’re thrilled to be working with UKTV, S4C and All3Media International on this exciting project. The scripts are great, it’s a strong cast and we have a first-class creative team leading the production. We’re really looking forward to bringing these characters to life and for audiences across Wales, the UK and beyond to get to know them”.
Gwenllian Gravelle at S4C added: “S4C is delighted to be working with UKTV and All3Media International on this must-watch fresh take on the procedural crime show genre. The brilliant team at Severn Screen has not only created a drama that reflects the reality of a south Wales community, but the human impact of crime is put under the microscope with wit, grit and compassion. With a terrific cast playing compelling characters, I can’t wait for the audience to see this masterfully plotted and visually stunning drama.”
Mudtown is the latest UKTV Original series for Alibi and will air in 2025. Other recently announced dramas on the channel include I, Jack Wright, written by Chris Lang and Bookish, written by and starring Mark Gatiss, both due to air on the channel next year.
