90s comedy icon takes the lead in new ITV crime drama which will depict life in rural Britain as it’s ravaged by country lines drug dealers

A new thriller on ITV will focus on a crime wave sweeping the country – and will star a ’90s acting legend as he makes a comeback to the channel.

Out There will portray the impact of the drug trade on the British countryside, as farmers and crime bosses clash over precious land used to support two very contrasting lifestyles.

Martin Clunes stars as a grieving farmer who faces dark forces seeping into his rural community, as urban gangs use the British countryside as an operating base, moving drugs and money between their inner-city hubs and provincial areas.

The six-part drama, commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill, will premiere on ITV1 and can be streamed on ITVX, with filming currently taking place in Wales and produced in association with Creative Wales.

The series is produced and written by Ed Whitmore and Marc Evans, who were behind Martin’s previous role as a police officer in the gritty drama Manhunt.

According to ITVClunes says of his new role: “I am very pleased to be working with Marc Evans and Ed Whitmore again after the success of Manhunt.

Out There couldn’t be more different from Doc Martin. It’s quite dark, but definitely a story worth telling.’

Clunes will play farmer Nathan Williams, a man who runs a farm that has been in his family for generations and who has been mourning the death of his wife Sabine for two years.

Caught in a numbing work rhythm while a single parent to teenager Johnny, played by Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Nathan must suddenly change his approach to life when gangs threaten to engulf his son.

As a result, he embarks on a personal journey that will take him even further out of his comfort zone into a dark alternate world as he fights to protect his family, his livelihood, and his legacy.

Nathan must accept that the rustic atmosphere of his youth is long gone and has been replaced by something much sharper and more dangerous. The only way the city hero can survive in the rural underworld is to learn the rules and fight back.

ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill said: ‘Out There is a brilliant and compelling drama, from the team behind Manhunt, which sees county lines become very real for a father and son already dealing with the modern challenges of running a farm.

‘Martin Clunes is fantastic as Nathan, in a drama full of surprises, as he tries to find the best way to save his son, in a world he doesn’t understand.’

Legendary: The ’90s comedy legend played socially challenged doctor Martin Ellingham in the iconic ITV comedy drama Doc Martin, which aired for almost two decades

Speaking about the series’ filming location, Welsh director Marc Evans said: ‘We’re thrilled to have the support of Creative Wales to produce Out There in my home country.

“We are able to explore beautiful and rarely seen areas around the Black Mountains and utilize local talent for our cast and crew.”

Among the actors also appearing in Out There are Mark Lewis Jones as Caleb Williams, Natalia Kostrzewa as Eva, Carly-Sophia Davies as Sadie and Gerran Howell as Rhys.

Series executive producer Ed Whitmore said: “County Lines is a particularly brutal and ruthless drug trafficking wave that uses fear and violence to coerce, often vulnerable, young people into working as runners and dealers.

It has become a serious and rapidly growing problem across Britain, so it felt like an important and timely story to tell.

Take two: Out There is executive produced and written by Ed Whitmore and Marc Evans, who were behind Martin’s previous role as a police officer in the gritty drama Manhunt

He added: I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of ​​things being hidden in plain sight and the way different social worlds can coexist until one day they collide.

The basic premise of Out There – a widowed farmer discovering that his son has crossed county lines – immediately appealed to me as a story I wanted to tell.”

This comes after ITV recently commissioned a hit TV show which is being revived after a five-year hiatus.

The reboot of Big Brother – which airs on ITV2 this autumn – ‘will be a hit’ according to the channel’s bosses who have already confidently secured a new series.

It is presented by AJ Odudu and Will Best after a five-year hiatus as fans eagerly await its return.