ITV & Hulu Commission Eight-Part Drama Harlots

LONDON: ITV and Hulu are going straight to series with the drama Harlots, set against the backdrop of 18th century Georgian London.

The eight-part series stars Samantha Morton (Fantastic Beasts, Rillington Place, The Last Panthers, Minority Report), Lesley Manville (Mum, River, Maleficent) and Jessica Brown Findlay (Victor Frankenstein, The Outcast, Downton Abbey). Produced by Monumental Pictures, Harlots will air on ITV Encore in the U.K. and stream exclusively in the U.S. on Hulu as part of its originals slate.

Based on the stories of real women, the series follows Margaret Wells (Morton) and her daughters, as she struggles to reconcile her roles as mother and brothel owner. When her business comes under attack from Lydia Quigley (Manville), a rival madam with a ruthless streak, Margaret will fight back, even if it means putting her family at risk.

Harlots is written by playwright and screenwriter Moira Buffini (Jane Eyre, Tamara Drewe) and based on an original idea by Buffini and Alison Newman. It marks the first commission for Monumental Pictures.

ITV Studios Global Entertainment will distribute the drama internationally.

Harlots executive producer Alison Owen said: “In 1760s London there were brothels on every corner run by women who were both enterprising and tenacious. History has largely ignored them, but their stories are in turn outrageous, brutal, humorous and real.”

Fellow EP Debra Hayward added: “Moira and Alison’s writing doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to sex and violence, but it’s the juxtaposition of these things and the domesticity of the ‘houses’ that makes Harlots so compelling.”

ITV’s controller of drama, Victoria Fea, said: “Harlots is an exploration of family, power and brutal economics in a vibrant booming world full of colour and noise. We’re delighted to be commissioning the series for ITV Encore. Moira and Alison’s scripts are shocking, fascinating and compelling.”

Maria Kyriacou, the president of international for ITV Studios, said:
“Written and produced by an award-winning creative team with an all-star cast, Harlots offers a unique perspective of life on the streets of 1760s London with fast-moving and action-packed story lines and strong lead characters. This is a world-class drama which is sure to appeal to audiences across the globe as strongly as it will to ITV Encore and Hulu’s viewers in the U.K. and U.S.”