Yahoo News BBC Preps Nuclear Submarine Thriller ‘Vigil’ With ‘Gentleman Jack’ Star
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“Gentleman Jack” and “Doctor Foster” star Suranne Jones is to take the lead in “Vigil,” a nuclear submarine thriller for the BBC from World Productions, the makers of “Line of Duty” and “Bodyguard.”
“Vigil” is written and created by Tom Edge, who penned Judy Garland biopic “Judy,” with episodes by Ed Macdonald, whose credits include “The End of The F***ing World,” and “Dublin Murders” writer Chandni Lakhani.
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The drama will be directed by James Strong, who has helmed “Broadchurch” and “Vanity Fair” and Isabelle Sieb, whose credits include “Shetland.”
“Vigil” is about the mysterious disappearance of a Scottish fishing trawler and a death onboard a Trident nuclear submarine, which brings the police into conflict with the Navy and British security services. DCI Amy Silva, played by Suranne Jones, leads an investigation on land and at sea into a conspiracy that threatens the very heart of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.
The commission has echoes of another nuclear submarine drama, “Tenacity,” that ITV ordered last June from screenwriter Peter A. Dowling, which is produced by Bad Wolf and Entertainment One. Its storyline centres on the death of a submariner aboard a British nuclear submarine, which is investigated by a disgraced military detective.
“Vigil” also stars Rose Leslie (“Games of Thrones”), Anjli Mohindra (“Bodyguard”), Martin Compston (“Line Of Duty”), Paterson Joseph (“The Leftovers”), Connor Swindells (“Sex Education”), Gary Lewis (“His Dark Materials”), Shaun Evans (“Endeavour”) and Adam James (“Doctor Foster”).
“Vigil” (w/t) will be executive produced by Simon Heath for World Productions and Gaynor Holmes for the BBC.
The 6 x 60′ drama series will be set and filmed in Scotland and is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland. International distribution will be handled by ITV Studios.
Jones said: “Tom Edge has created a thrill of a story, set in a world I knew nothing about…Amy Silva is a brilliantly complex character, thrown into a highly charged situation where her authority is weakened. We watch as she navigates her own personal trauma and loss, all at a time when she’s questioning her relationships and life choices.”
Piers Wenger, controller of BBC Drama, added: “’Vigil’ is a fantastic, adrenalized thriller set in a shadowy world which has stakes for us all.”
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