ITV commissions drama The Long Call inspired by Ann Cleeves novel

Inspired by Ann Cleeves’ best-selling novel of the same title, and airing across four instalments, The Long Call is driven by an intriguing and flawed protagonist, DI Matthew Venn, who has returned to live in a small community in North Devon with his husband, Jonathan.

It’s a place Matthew walked away from 20 years ago, after being rejected by his family. Now he’s back, not just to mourn his father at a distance, but to take charge of his first major murder.

“I’m delighted that ITV is working with Silverprint Pictures to bring another of Ann’s brilliant novels to screen. It’s very different to Vera, but I think audiences will take to DI Matthew Venn and this compelling story in the same way. Kelly has written a wonderful adaptation and this promises to be a really distinctive and original new crime series.” – Polly Hill, Head of Drama, ITV

Ann Cleeves is best known for her critically-acclaimed Vera Stanhope series of crime novels which were adapted into a TV series starring Brenda Blethyn as the principal character in 2011.

The Long Call will be written and adapted by Kelly Jones (Baptiste, Des, Call The Midwife, The Good Karma Hospital) with Silverprint Pictures’ Creative Director Kate Bartlett (Flesh and Blood, Shetland, Vera, Dark Heart) executive producing the series.

“After almost a decade working together, we are thrilled to be continuing our creative partnership with Ann. The Long Call is a rich and deeply engrossing mystery with a whole host of new Cleeves characters led by the inimitable Matthew Venn. Just as the novel feels like a progression of Ann’s writing, this feels like the opportunity to create a unique and ambitious event crime drama with a wholly iconic character at its heart.” – Kate Barlett, Creative Director, Silverprint Pictures

Angie Daniell (Vigil, Alex Rider, Clique) will produce the series with Lee Haven Jones (Dr Who, Shetland, The Bay) directing each of the four episodes.