Filming has wrapped on The Family Secret, the latest Channel 5 drama to shoot in the region.
The shoot, which filmed its first scenes in September and was based in Hartlepool, followed hot on the heels of The Feud, which aired on 5 earlier this year and starred Jill Halfpenny, Amy Nuttall, Rupert Penry-Jones and Larry Lamb.
The new four-part psychological thriller was filmed at locations across the North East and has benefited from the North East Production Fund, delivered by North East Screen.
Produced by Gateshead-based Lonesome Pine in association with Sphere Abacus, The Family Secret follows Amanda Blakefield, played by Eleanor Tomlinson (One Day), whose seemingly perfect life with husband Jimmy, played by Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter), and their young son Luke, is turned upside down when she inherits a fortune from a man she has never met.
As Amanda searches for answers, she becomes drawn into the world of the powerful and secretive Worrall family, led by patriarch Martin Worrall, played by Denis Lawson.
Her journey into the Northumbrian countryside leads to shocking revelations about her own past - and threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.
The series boasts an impressive cast including Rebecca Front as Fiona Worrall, Callum Woodhouse as Anthony, Stephen Tompkinson as farm worker Boots Maddison, Paula Wilcox as Amanda’s mother Linda, Danielle Walters as best friend Sandy, and Nina Wadia as solicitor Laura.
Commissioning Editor at 5, Paul Testar said: “The Family Secret explores the fragility of family and the ripple effects of long-buried truths, all anchored by a brilliant cast led by Eleanor Tomlinson. This is a drama that promises to keep audiences hooked from the very first minute.”
Written by Aschlin Ditta and directed by Andy de Emmony, the four-part series is produced by Lesley Douglas and Ellie Hill for Lonesome Pine. It will air in 2026.