Christopher Eccleston to Front A+E Networks EMEA Commission

A+E Networks EMEA has ordered the historical investigative series The Guilty Innocent with Christopher Eccleston.

In his first-ever presenting role, Eccleston will examine two highly controversial cases, both of which captured the public imagination and sparked major campaigns for social justice. The 2×60-minute title will debut on Sky HISTORY this May.

The Guilty Innocent is produced by Redeeming Features, Century Films and GroupM Motion Entertainment.

Eccleston said: “The pursuit of justice is a subject matter which has peppered my career with dramas that remain special to me and have, in their own way, swayed public opinion. The Guilty Innocent is another project which pursues justice, or the lack of it, through a new medium which has allowed me to explore another means of storytelling.”

Dan Korn, VP of programming at A+E Networks EMEA, added: “With the criminal justice system under ever greater scrutiny, there has never been a more important time to re-examine historic cases which sparked popular activism and widespread campaigning for change. And with his passion and presence, there is no one better than Christopher Eccleston to take us back to the sights and sounds of Britain in the 1960s and ‘70s”.

Victoria Williams, producer and co-CEO of Redeeming Features, commented: “In the wake of the Horizon scandal, there’s never been a better time to examine miscarriages of justice, so we are all really excited to be making this gripping new series for A+E. From the new season of True Detective to Our Friends in the North and Doctor Who, Christopher Eccleston is one of the best British actors working today, so to see him investigate these stories and bring them to life is a dream come true.”