EastEnders Spin-Off Redwater Assembles All-Irish Cast

LONDON: Irish actors Fionnula Flanagan, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Ian McElhinney, Angeline Ball, Peter Campion and Stanley Townsend are joining Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie for the brand-new six-part drama series Redwater, a spin-off of EastEnders.

EastEnders characters Kat and Alfie Moon (played by Wallace and Richie, respectively) take center stage in the new series, set in the picturesque Irish harbor village of Redwater. The cast is rounded out by Irish talents Flanagan (Lost, The Invention of Lying, The Others), Doyle Kennedy (Orphan Black, Dexter, The Commitments), McElhinney (Game of Thrones, The Fall), Ball (Shameless, The Commitments), Campion (Brooklyn) and Townsend (The Hollow Crown, The Tunnel).

The series will be directed by Danish director Jesper Nielsen (Borgen, Through a Glass Darkly) and written by EastEnders alumni, including Life on Mars creator Matthew Graham, Julie Dixon (Casualty, The Bill), Lauren Klee (Holby City) and Matthew Barry (Casualty, Banana, Death in Paradise). The series is produced by Vicky Wharton.

Filming begins this week in Ireland, and Redwater will air on BBC One in 2017.

Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer, said: “It was our intention from the start to create a new contemporary ensemble drama set in Ireland, and we are so thrilled and lucky to have such a talented team on board for Redwater. It is testament to the quality of Jesper, Matthew and the other writers, as well as Vicky’s tenacity, that we have assembled such a high caliber of cast and crew to join Shane and Jessie in such a beautiful setting. We all know that we are creating something that is going to be very special.”

Nielsen added: “We have a really important and fantastic story to tell. About how one woman’s search for a lost child opens a Pandora’s box, revealing the terrible lies and secrets in the little village of Redwater. A story about how the strong bonds of love in a family can hold everything together, and yet at the same time destroy everything. It has echoes of a Shakespearean drama, told in a rich cinematic style, loaded with humor and suspense. I cannot wait to start shooting and see the characters coming to life.”

Graham, writer of episode one, commented: “When I was an EastEnders writer, Kat and Alfie were two of the most dynamic characters to write for. To revisit them and to transport them into a community riddled with secrets and lies was too good an opportunity to pass up. Kathleen Moon is an unwitting bomb in Redwater, and creating the debris from her explosive arrival is what drew me to this project.”

Flanagan remarked: “This is a fascinating character, full of secrets, deceit and manipulation. My favorite! It’s a wonderful story which will keep you guessing forever and ever. Great writing and a fabulous director.”

Wallace said: “I walked into the drama read-through to a table full of wonderful Irish actors and it was thrilling. They all made me feel so very welcome as we started to read the first script. It’s going to be a rollercoaster!”

Richie added: “Wow! What an honor to be in this unbelievable drama and working alongside some of Ireland’s finest actors. At the moment it’s a whirlwind so I’m just getting into the new scripts, which are electric!”