If, like us, you’ve been longing for a brilliant new crime drama to sink your teeth into, we’ve got some news you’re going to like. The BBC is gifting us with a brand-new Welsh drama featuring stars of This City is Ours and Keeping Faith – and, with a picture perfect setting and a lovable detective duo at the heart of it, it might even top the both of them.
The upcoming series introduces us to DI Glyn Walsh (Mark Lewis Jones) and DS Sion Dearden (Steffan Rhodri), old friends and partners who find a new lease of life through friendship and solving crime. Head of Commissioning for BBC Cymru Wales, Nick Andrews, says it’s “a thrilling, twisty tale” – and judging by the plot, which you can read below, he’s quite right.
Ahead of Old Town Murders’ arrival on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming crime drama, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Old Town Murders about?
Described by the BBC as a “witty, twisty crime series”, the six-part drama stars Mark Lewis Jones and Steffan Rhodri as DI Glyn Walsh and DS Sion Dearden, old friends and partners who, having faced personal hardships, might ordinarily be on their last legs. The pair find new purpose and hope, however, as they work together to solve baffling murders in the idyllic seaside town of Tenby, West Wales.
When DI Glyn Walsh returns unexpectedly early from bereavement leave, he and DS Sion Dearden find themselves faced with solving the perplexing murder of an esteemed University Professor. The case isn’t exactly straightforward – far from it, in fact, and the duo’s investigation leads them into the underbelly of the local University to track down the killer.
The BBC’s official synopsis continues: “Once the killer is found, there is no time to rest, as the pair are called to more murder mysteries across the area. From the poisoning of a local Head Teacher who inexplicably drowns whilst wild swimming, to a mystifying case of mistaken identity during a triathlon, the pair must navigate working and living under the same roof while solving a slew of baffling murder cases.”
What to read next
The series is written, created and executive produced by Welsh-born Matthew Barry, best known for The Guest, who says: “Old Town Murders is more than a crime drama; at its heart, it’s about friendship, reinvention and the courage to begin again later in life. After working together on Men Up, I wrote this series for Mark and Steffan, and I can’t wait for them, alongside the rest of our incredible cast, to bring these characters to life.”
Davina Earl and Nicola Shindler from production company, Quay Street Productions. added: “Old Town Murders has everything we have come to expect from Matt’s brilliant writing, deeply relatable characters, his trademark wit and warmth plus engaging and inventive crime stories that draw you right in. Mark and Steffan are the perfect choice for DI Glyn Walsh and DS Sion Dearden, and we can’t wait to see how they bring this singular relationship to life on screen.”
Who’s in the cast of Old Town Murders?
The cast of Old Town Murders includes:
- Mark Lewis Jones (Baby Reindeer, The Crown) as DI Glyn Walsh
- Steffan Rhodri (Keeping Faith, Steeltown Murders) as DS Sion Dearden
- James Bamford (The Red King, Masters of the Air) as DC Neil Miller
- Bethan Mary-James (The Guest, Death Valley) as DC Remy Jones
- Catherine Ayers (The Guest, Missing You) as Chief Superintendent Melanie Morris
- Julie Graham (This City is Ours, Time) as forensic biologist Pamela Thomas
How can I watch Old Town Murders?
The BBC hasn’t yet shared a release date for Old Town Murders, but we do know that filming for the series has commenced in Tenby, Cardiff and along the South Wales Coastline. As soon as we have a confirmed release date, we’ll update you here.
What other good crime dramas can I watch now?
If you enjoy a cosy crime drama, we’d recommend Recipes for Love and Murder. The series introduces us to cook and agony aunt Tannie Maria who writes recipes and gives advice in her local newspaper column. When a reader writes in telling her about the murder of her husband, this amateur sleuth is determined to find out what really happened. Recipes for Love and Murder is available to watch now on U. For something a little darker, try Thirteen. The drama features a fantastic lead performance from Jodie Comer as 26-year-old Ivy Moxam, who escapes her kidnapper after 13 years spent confined in a cellar. You can watch all five episodes on BBC iPlayer now.
