"FINDING ALICE"
now in production
ITV has commissioned Finding Alice, written by Roger Goldby and Simon Nye, starring Keeley Hawes and produced by Red Production Company, in association with Bright Pictures TV, Buddy Club Productions and Genial Productions.
ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, has commissioned six-part contemporary drama, Finding Alice, created by Roger Goldby, Keeley Hawes and Simon Nye and produced by Red Production Company in association with Bright Pictures TV, Buddy Club Productions and Genial Productions.
The series (6 x 60’) focuses upon Alice’s honest, raw, blackly comic journey of grief, love and life after the death of her husband Harry. His accidental sudden death kicks up a storm of secrets and mess, debt, suspicion and criminality which Alice is forced to confront in order to survive.
Harry dies after falling down the stairs when they move into their newly finished dream house. Harry designed it, so it’s weird and wonderful, and impractical, and one more disorientation for Alice, to go with her sense of loss and abandonment. Her beloved partner of 20 years is no more, and now she can’t open the garage doors.
If that were her only problem…
Men have a habit of hiding stuff that they don’t want to deal with, and Alice discovers that Harry was worse than most.
Commented Polly Hill:
“This is a brilliant script – emotionally truthful and darkly funny. It’s about family and grief and introduces us to the wonderfully original character of Alice. The show has been developed with Keeley Hawes, and Alice was written for her, and she is going to be unmissable in the role. I’m delighted to be working with Simon Nye, Roger Goldby and Nicola Shindler to bring Finding Alice to ITV next year.”
Finding Alice will be produced by Red Production Company, with founder Nicola Shindler (Butterfly, Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Scott & Bailey) taking the role of executive producer alongside Roger Goldby (The Durrells, The Musketeers, Call The Midwife as Director), Simon Nye (The Durrells, Tommy Cooper: Not Like That Like This, How Do You Want Me?) and Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard, The Durrells, Line of Duty, Honour).
Commented Nicola Shindler:
“When Keeley, Roger and Simon came to me with Finding Alice I was so excited to find a project about a complex, flawed and funny woman in such extreme circumstances who I felt an audience would fall in love with. This is exactly the kind of drama I love to make at Red and look forward to starting shooting.”
Red will produce Finding Alice in association with Bright Pictures TV, Buddy Club Productions and Genial Productions, which has a minority investment from ITV Studios. The drama will be produced by Margot Gavan Duffy (The Queen and I, Two Doors Down, Boy Meets Girl as Executive Producer) with Roger Goldby directing episodes 1 to 3 and Juliet May (Motherland, Last Tango in Halifax, Call the Midwife) directing episodes 4 to 6.
Commented Roger Goldby:
“I think there is something so particular and compelling about watching a strong female led drama, we are so lucky to have Keeley playing Alice, she has an incredible depth of performance combined with a pitch perfect instinct for comedy. Keeley will bring Alice to life beautifully to make Finding Alice heartfelt, moving and funny.”
Commented Simon Nye:
“I am relishing tackling a big, emotional, contemporary subject. And who better to do it with than the amazing Keeley and legendary director/writer Roger Goldby, having survived working with them on The Durrells.”
Commented Keeley Hawes:
“I am absolutely delighted to be working with the brilliant Simon Nye and the hugely talented Roger Goldby on a project that means so much to all of us. I have been a huge fan of Nicola Shindler for many years and I’m thrilled to be working with her at last on Finding Alice.”
Studiocanal will be responsible for the international distribution of the drama.
Press announcement: