Karen Pirie: everything to know about ITV’s much-anticipated new crime drama

Karen Pirie is the new ITV crime series we can guarantee that everyone will be talking about. Starring Lauren Lyle as a detective sergeant thrown into the deep end with a cold case gathering interest thanks to a popular podcast, find out everything you need to know about the new show… 

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What is Karen Pirie about?

Based on the popular novel series by author Val McDermid, the story follows Karen Pirie, a police officer who is suddenly promoted when a podcast on a murder case from 25 years prior gains momentum. As DS Pirie begins going through the evidence from the night of the murder, she discovers several new things about the case - but will she crack it once and for all? 

WATCH: Lauren Lyle leads the cast of new ITV drama Karen Pirie

How many episodes of Karen Pirie are there?

There will be three episodes, each 120 minutes long - the length of three feature-length films! The show will be released on Sunday 25 September, and will air on the subsequent Sundays, with the whole series immediately available on ITV Catch Up following the premiere - so keen fans can binge-watch!

Will you be watching?

Who is in the Karen Pirie cast?

Outlander star Lauren Lyle stars as Karen. Speaking about the show, she said: "My mum and dad had read the books and they were beside themselves when I told them I’d been offered the role of Karen. My dad kept saying, 'But Lauren, Val McDermid is the Queen of crime, do you know that?!' my mum told me my dad didn’t sleep that night. 

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"It was all really exciting but such a big whirlwind. I didn’t quite know what I was letting myself in for, and then when I got to the shoot it was just three months of complete joy and exhaustion the whole time. It was the best job I’ve ever done, it was fab."

The series looks at a cold case from 25 years ago

Chris Jenks plays DC Jason Murray, Karen’s only team member. He told ITV: "It was my first time playing a detective, and it was really cool. It really hit home when we moved into the police station set because it was just so believable, with all the evidence and the details of the case laid out, it was a really cool moment to see all of that." The actor has previously starred in Miracle Workers and Sex Education. 

The show also stars Zach Wyatt as DS Phil Parhatka and Emer Kenny as River Wilde. Ever is also the writer and executive producer of the upcoming show.

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