TVKIDS
ZDF Studios, Cottonwood Media and Coolabi Productions have set the cast and writing team for their new tween spy series The Lady Grace Mysteries.
Newcomer Evie Coles will star as Lady Grace Cavendish, Queen Elizabeth I’s lady-in-waiting and private spy. Other cast members include Carys John (Malory Towers, The Last Bus), Rafael Alessandro, Fintan Buckard (Phoenix Rise), Twinkle Jaiswal (Malory Towers) and Rebecca Scott (Game of Thrones).
Alexander Jacob, managing director of Cottonwood Media, is serving as lead director, and he is joined by episodic director Louise Ni Fhiannachta (Flatmates, Silverpoint).
The writing team is being led by Anna McCleery (Free Rein, A Kind of Spark, Hollyoaks) and includes Joe Williams (Theodosia, Hank Zipzer), Vicki Lutas (Free Rein), Jayshree Patel (Waterloo Road) and Karissa Hamilton-Bannis (Hollyoaks).
The Lady Grace Mysteries, based on the children’s detective fiction novels of the same name, follows teen Lady Grace Cavendish as she navigates royal politics in an English court full of plots, threats and mystery while avoiding her responsibilities of being a lady-in-waiting.
The series is a Cottonwood Media and Coolabi Group production, in co-production with ZDF Studios. It is commissioned by BBC Children’s and Education for BBC iPlayer and CBBC and ZDF, with a presale to France Télévisions. Federation Kids & Family and ZDF Studios are handling worldwide sales.
“Lady Grace is the ultimate tween spy who our young audience will love,” said Sarah Muller, senior head of children’s commissions for 7-plus at BBC Children’s and Education. “Unveiling the new cast and creatives leading the production is one step closer to seeing these much-loved stories of intrigue and mystery come to life on screen.”
“We are delighted to be part of this new adventure with Cottonwood,” said ZDF’s Nicole Keeb, head of international co-productions and acquisitions for children and youth programs. “The Lady Grace Mysteries will fit perfectly into our portfolio of high-quality live-action series. We cannot wait to get the show on air.”
Arne Lohmann, VP Junior at ZDF Studios, commented, “I am thrilled to be continuing our successful relationship with Cottonwood. I believe The Lady Grace Mysteries will be as successful as Find Me in Paris, Spellbound and Theodosia. We instantly fell in love with the series and are sure that a worldwide audience will soon feel the same!”
France Télévisions’ Claire Heinrich, head of acquisitions, children’s and youth, said, “We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Cottonwood Media with this new project, which has all the ingredients to appeal to the older fringe of Okoo’s audience. The historical context of Elizabeth I’s royal court, with its many possibilities for intrigue, is a sumptuous setting for the breathless adventures of Lady Grace, a determined and inspiring teenager who also finds herself confronted with very contemporary issues, all with a resolutely modern tone.”
“This series will offer a fun, modern and lighthearted take on the Golden Age of Elizabeth I,” noted Manon Ardisson, head of drama at Cottonwood Media. “Our characters and their stories are completely relatable for kids today, but the unique setting allows us to showcase extraordinary costumes and stunning historical locations that will draw audiences in from the get-go.”
David Michel, Cécile Laurenson and Zoé Carrera Allaix, co-founders of Cottonmedia Media, commented, “Cottonwood has specialized in creating numerous cinematic-styled TV series for the tween demographic working with great partners as ZDF and France Télévisions. It’s a pleasure now to also join forces with the BBC and Coolabi to embark on this exciting production that explores themes of friendship, mystery and romance, but with unexpected twists and turns.”
Michael Dee, director of Coolabi Productions, and Chris Snowdon, director of IP creation and managing director at Working Partners, added, “We couldn’t be happier with the scripts, the casting, the locations and the designs—everything that is being done to bring our Lady Grace Mysteries book series to the screen. The production team are creating a wonderful television series that reflects the lives of contemporary teens within the challenges and intrigue of the Elizabethan court.”
