Andrew Lincoln will make his return to British television in new ITV drama series Cold Water.
The actor starred as Rick Grimes in 11 seasons of the US horror drama The Walking Dead.
The Teachers star will play John, a middle-aged man going through an identity crisis, who moves his family to the Scottish village of Coldwater to escape London, and befriends his new neighbour Tommy.
But unbeknownst to John, Tommy is harbouring horrifying secrets, which lead to a series of unsettling events.
Cold Water will also star Ewen Bremner as Tommy, Indira Varma as John’s wife Fiona, and Eve Myles as Tommy’s wife Rebecca.
The series has been written by playwright David Ireland, who created The Lovers, Ulster American and Cyprus Avenue. The first three episodes will be directed by Doctor Who director Lee Haven-Jones.
It will be produced by Sister, which has produced Eric, This Is Going To Hurt, and Chernobyl.
Ireland said: “Cold Water started with a question I was asking myself, where do I want to live? The countryside or the city?
“Such an innocent beginning, but from it came this dark, funny, twisted thriller.
“I was delighted when Sister loved the script and thrilled when ITV decided to commission it. And I’m amazed we’ve managed to attract such a peerless cast, led by the formidable Andrew Lincoln, I hope viewers will be find it intoxicating.”
ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill, who commissioned the show for the broadcaster, said she was “very excited” to see it on the small screen.
She said: “David’s scripts are wonderful and original and have attracted an incredible cast led by Andrew Lincoln.
“It promises to be a really unmissable drama and I am delighted to be working with Jane Featherstone again and her brilliant team at Sister.”
ITV is yet to announce when the show will air, and filming will begin later in 2024.
Lincoln first found fame in BBC drama This Life and has since had starring roles in Teachers and classic film Love Actually.
