BBC One Lines Up New Thriller The Guest

BBC One and BBC Cymru Wales have co-commissioned The Guest, written, created and executive produced by Matthew Barry (Men Up, Industry), from Quay Street Productions.

With Eve Myles (Hijack, Keeping Faith) and Gabrielle Creevy (Amadeus, Three Women) in the lead roles, the four-part thriller centers on the toxic relationship between successful business owner Fran and her employee Ria. When Ria, intoxicated by Fran’s confidence and self-assuredness, takes Fran’s advice and a shocking event results, their lives become forever intertwined by shared secrets and dangerous plots.

In addition to Myles and Creevy, the cast includes Sion Daniel Young (Lost Boys & Fairies, Slow Horses), Emun Elliott (Sexy Beast, The Gold, Guilt), Bethan Mary-James (Death Valley, Sisters, Friday Night Dinner) Julian Lewis Jones (Dope Girls, House of the Dragon, The Wheel of Time), Joseph Ollman (Queenie, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Spent), Clive Russell (Game of Thrones, One Piece, The Witcher) and Catherine Ayers (Missing You, The Way).

Ashley Way (Men Up, Who is Erin Carter?) is directing all four episodes. Davina Earl (Men Up, The Red King) and Nicola Shindler (Fool Me Once, After the Flood) are executive producers for Quay Street Productions, with Rebecca Ferguson and Nick Andrews executive producing for the BBC. Karen Lewis (Happy Valley, Men Up) is a producer.

The Guest has received support from the Welsh government via Creative Wales. It is set to begin shooting this month in and around Cardiff. ITV Studios will handle international distribution.

“I’m beyond excited to be re-teaming with Nicola, Davina and the whole team at Quay Street Productions and the BBC to bring The Guest to life,” Barry said. “As well as being an exciting thriller, at its core, this is an examination of class, social mobility and the growing disparity between those at the top and bottom of our society.”

“We’re so thrilled to be working with Matt again, this time on a thriller with two fascinating women at its heart,” Earl and Schindler commented. “Matt’s scripts are not only full of tension and twists but deeply relatable characters and his trademark wit and humor.”

“The Guest is a hugely entertaining, deftly plotted thriller that will have viewers gripped,” said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. “After the fantastic, five-star response to the tender and life-affirming Men Up, we’re delighted to join forces again with Matthew Barry and Quay Street Productions on another Welsh-set drama, alongside this fantastic cast.”

Nick Andrews, head of commissioning for BBC Cymru Wales, added, “The Guest is a twisty-turny, edge-of-your-seat thriller that you will be watching from behind your sofa. Matt has written a beautifully crafted tense story—an absolute showstopper of a series produced by some of the very best in the business.”