Production Begins on New BBC Thriller

BBC and Sister have begun production on the new thriller The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies and revealed the series’ cast.

The five-part thriller follows two very different women and the con man they have both been duped by. Alistair Petrie (Sex Education, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Night Manager) stars as the lying “ecopreneur” who deceives the women.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste (In Fabric, Boxing Day) and Rebekah Staton (Raised by Wolves, Home) star as the two women. Jean-Baptiste plays a recently bereaved best-selling fantasy fiction author who lives alone with her poodle, while Staton stars as a formidable PA, mother and lifelong Madonna fan.

The cast is rounded out by Romola Garai (The Hour, Emma, Atonement), Derek Jacobi (Last Tango in Halifax, The Crown, Gladiator), Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh, Mindhorn, Nathan Barley), Karl Johnson (Hot Fuzz, Lark Rise to Candleford) and Ellie Haddington (Enola Holmes, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them).

The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies is the first original series from sibling writing duo Penelope Skinner (Fresh Meat; Linda; Briony Hatch, a graphic novel) and Ginny Skinner (Briony Hatch, a graphic novel). Directors for the series are Robbie McKillop (Guilt, Clique) and Nicole Charles (Hair Power: Me and My Afro). McKillop will direct three episodes, with Charles directing two.

The series is produced by Sister for BBC One. BBC Studios will distribute the series internationally. It is executive produced by Naomi de Pear (The Power, This is Going to Hurt, Flowers), Lydia Hampson (Fleabag, Cheat) and Director of Development Alice Tyler (The Baby, Landscapers, Flowers) for Sister, with Jo McClellan executive producing for the BBC.

“We couldn’t be more delighted that, thanks to Sister’s expert support and encouragement, this project has attracted such a talented group of collaborators to bring it to fruition,” said the Skinners. “With Robbie McKillop and Nicole Charles’ insightful and creative direction along with an absolute dream cast, including stars like Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Rebekah Staton and Alistair Petrie, we are hugely proud that this show has found a home at the BBC.”

The Sister team added, “We are so excited that this extraordinary cast has joined us to bring these scripts to life under the helm of such creative, collaborative directors as Robbie and Nicole. We feel incredibly lucky to be working with such a unique and talented team, and it’s testament to Penny and Ginny’s writing that we are!”

“The BBC are thrilled to begin production on The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies with this fantastic cast and the brilliant Sister production team,” said McClellan, commissioning editor of BBC Drama. “Penny and Ginny have written an incredibly fun show which highlights how susceptible we all are to the modern fraudster, how they are everywhere and hiding in plain sight.”