Game of Thrones stars Alfie Allen and Mark Addy are reunited in violent drama White House Farm
GAME Of Thrones veterans Alfie Allen and Mark Addy will be reunited in another violent drama.
ITV’s White House Farm is becoming one of 2019’s most anticipated shows.
The true crime drama is based on Jeremy Bamber, who was jailed for life for killing five members of his family at the Essex farm in 1985.
Alfie, Theon Greyjoy in the HBO series, will play Brett Collins, a friend of Bamber.
Mark, King Robert Baratheon, will play Stan Jones, the detective convinced of Bamber’s guilt from the start.
A TV insider said: “Signing Alfie and Mark means the cast is packed with a long line of big British actors.”
They will join Freddie Fox as Bamber, opposite Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas playing his sister and victim, Sheila Caffell.
I also revealed Stephen Graham had signed up for the drama as DCI Thomas “Taff” Jones. He initially believed the killer’s bogus story that his sister had shot her own parents, Nevill and June Bamber, and her six-year-old twins, Daniel and Nicholas, with a semi-automatic rifle before turning it on herself.
They’ll be joined by Alexa Davies, who plays Julie Walters’ younger self in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
She’ll appear in White House Farm as Julie Mugford, the girlfriend of Bamber, who killed his family to get their inheritance. She eventually revealed his guilt to the police.
The six-part drama is expected in early 2019 — but it couldn’t come early enough for me.
Jed on guard for two
BEFORE the first episode has even been seen, the creator of long-awaited cop thriller Bodyguard is already considering making a sequel.
But that can hardly be considered wishful thinking when you are Jed Mercurio, who is behind four nail-biting series of Line Of Duty.
Bodyguard begins later this month on BBC1, featuring Keeley Hawes as a Home Secretary protected by policeman David Budd, played by Richard Madden.
But if Jed follows the perfected formula from his police anti-corruption drama – which has a cluster of returning characters combined with a different central star each series – then it’s possible Keeley might not feature in a second series of Bodyguard, whereas Richard could go on to look after another VIP.
In the new edition of Radio Times, Jed said: “Line Of Duty established that it works very well – and audiences understand the concept.
“There are things in place in series one that we can exploit dramatically further down the line.
“But I haven’t done a lot of forward planning because it can be too disheartening if the series isn’t recommissioned.”
Given the brilliance of Line of Duty – which the Beeb has already extended by another two series – I don’t really think Jed has anything to worry about.
Celebrity Call Centre
COUNTDOWN’S Rachel Riley, will join I’m A Celeb winner Georgia Toffolo and comedian Joel Dommett on Channel 4’s Stand Up 4 Cancer show Celebrity Call Centre.
The hour-long, fly-on-the-wall special will see callers pick the trio’s brains on various topics.
A telly source said: “It’s set to be funny and heart-warming, putting stars on the spot dealing with different scenarios from love-life woes to parenting troubles and weather advice.”
Hopefully all the callers keep it clean.
Comedy cop drama
FANS of No Offence will be relieved to see this exclusive image from the upcoming series of the comedy cop drama.
It shows the entire cast is returning, including plain-speaking DI Viv Deering and driven DC Spike Tanner, played by Joanna Scanlan and Will Mellor.
But the third season, which starts next month on Channel 4, will include one significant addition – Superintendent Marilyn Merchant, played by Bafta-nominated My Mad Fat Diary actress, Claire Rushbrook.
Since its debut in 2015, No Offence has turned out to be one of the broadcaster’s biggest weekday hits, no doubt because it was penned by Shameless and State Of Play creator Paul Abbott.
Here’s hoping the third series can score the show a deserved hat-trick of successes.
Soapbox
In Emmerdale Faith has a plan, Maya ends up spilling a secret, and Lydia and Zak are two people on a mission.
In Eastenders Keanu is agonised by his violent behaviour. After Karen does her best to comfort him, he apologises to Hayley for losing his temper.
Elsewhere, a jealous Rainie’s attempt to prevent Max from going on a date backfires, Jack gives Mel an ultimatum and Bernadette checks in on Ted.
In Neighbours Chloe decides she’s going to sort herself out and focus on repaying her debt to Fay.
Meawnhile, as they spend their first night together, Cassius is understanding when Piper claims she needs more time.
Must watch
WHAT? A Passage to Britain, BBC2, 9pm
WHY? Docu looking at how thousands of Indians came to Britain, with historian Dr Yasmin Khan tracking down those who were on the Viceroy of India liner from Bombay in 1933.