Timothy Spall, Anne Reid, Éanna Hardwicke, Annabel Scholey and Sheila Hancock lead the cast.
Filming has begun on BBC One’s The Sixth Commandment, a brand new four-part true crime drama which explores the deaths of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin in the village of Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, and the extraordinary events that unfolded over the following years.
Sarah Phelps, writer and Executive Producer:
“I wouldn’t have been able to write this without the help, support and insights of Peter and Ann’s families. I’m so appreciative of the trust they placed in me to tell the stories of their loved ones. I’m thrilled that we have such an astonishing cast and phenomenal team of creatives, led by our director Saul Dibb, to bring my scripts to life.”
Written by Sarah Phelps the distinguished cast includes Timothy Spall, Anne Reid, Éanna Hardwicke, Annabel Scholey, Sheila Hancock, Ben Bailey Smith, Conor MacNeill, Adrian Rawlins and Amanda Root.
The Sixth Commandment tells the story of how the meeting of an inspirational teacher, Peter Farquhar (Timothy Spall), and a charismatic student, Ben Field (Éanna Hardwicke), set the stage for one of the most complex and confounding criminal cases in recent memory.
Derek Wax, Executive Producer for Wild Mercury Productions:
“This is a powerful and emotionally complex story, and Sarah Phelps has invested her scripts with extraordinary detail, nuance and passion. I’m thrilled that we have assembled such a strong cast and a brilliant director in Saul Dibb to bring it to life.”
It also focuses on how suspicions around Field’s relationship with Ann Moore-Martin (Anne Reid), Peter’s deeply religious neighbour, unlocked a series of chilling revelations.
The Sixth Commandment explores the way in which both Peter and Ann were manipulated by Field, capturing the extreme gaslighting, the gripping police investigation and the high-profile trial. While poignantly highlighting the devastating effect of isolation and loneliness, as Field closed in on them, it also celebrates both Peter and Ann’s lives as cherished mentors, much loved relatives and adored friends.
Brian Woods, Executive Producer for True Vision Productions:
“Drama has the ability to explore the emotional truth beneath the headlines. From the outset we have been working with the families of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin and we hope that The Sixth Commandment will illuminate their experiences and most of all, honour the lives of Peter and Ann.”
