It has been announced that a brand-new crime thriller, An Impossible Way to Die, will air on 5 in 2027, led by My Mad Fat Diary star Sharon Rooney and MobLand’s Emmett J Scanlan.
The six-part drama, for which filming is now underway, is being produced by Clapperboard Studios (Cooper & Fry), and will follow Rooney’s DS Katie Salter, a “smart” and “diligent” detective who is dragged into an “impossible murder mystery”.
The mystery itself sees four people sat around a table seemingly set for a dinner party, who are all found dead. The only clue is a scorpion crawling out of one of the victim’s mouths.
The synopsis for the series says: “Tensions quickly surface when Salter is partnered with DI Niall Conway (Scanlan), lead investigator on the case. Salter’s measured, grounded approach clashes with Conway’s all-consuming dedication to the job.
“At first, the two detectives appear fundamentally incompatible. Yet, as the investigation deepens and the pressure intensifies, Conway begins to recognise the value of Salter’s empathy, optimism, and instinctive understanding of people.
“As the case grows increasingly impossible, secrets are unearthed and conspiracies emerge, lives are put at risk as the detectives race against time to connect seemingly disparate cases and unmask a killer before it’s too late.”
Alongside Rooney and Scanlan, the series will also star Lois Chimimba (Vigil), Jonny Lavelle (Down Cemetery Road) and Ashley McGuire (This Country).
Sebastian Cardwell, deputy chief content officer for 5 said in a statement: “An Impossible Way to Die is exactly the kind of distinctive, compelling drama we want to bring to 5 audiences. Casting Sharon Rooney as a detective was the genesis of this thriller, and she brings something fresh and compelling to DS Katie Salter.
“With its brilliant premise, bold take on the detective genre, fantastic cast and Clapperboard’s flair for character-driven drama, we’re hugely excited to see the series come to life.”
The series has been written by newcomers Robin Ganderton and Rowena Johnson, who have penned episodes 1 and 5, along with Ciara Conway (Granite Harbour) who has written episodes 2 and 6, Jillian Mannion (Death in Paradise) who has written episode 3 and David Persiva (The Teacher) who has written Episode 4.
An Impossible Way to Die will air on 5 in 2027.
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