Michelle Keegan was photographed filming with Douglas Booth for the first time on location for ITV’s upcoming six-part crime drama The Blame, enduring heavy rain during late-night scenes in Hertford.
The 38-year-old actress, who plays DI Emma Crane, was seen soaked after a tense exchange with Booth’s character, DI Radley, outside a corner shop. Keegan, returning to work for the first time since the birth of her daughter Palma, wore a brown blouse and matching skirt for the sequence and was later observed getting into a waiting car.
ITV commissioned the series, which is written and executive produced by Megan Gallagher and is an adaptation of Charlotte Langley’s debut novel of the same name. The drama centres on the discovery of the body of teenage figure skater Sophie Madsen, a case that exposes "secrets, suspicion and systemic corruption" in the fictional town of Wakestead, according to the official synopsis.
“As DI Crane and DI Radley dig deeper, what starts as a tragic death spirals into a tangled web of lies, institutional cover-ups and moral compromise,” the synopsis says, adding that Crane must navigate both a murder investigation and "the treacherous politics inside her own team."
The cast announced for the project also includes Nigel Boyle as forensic technician Brett Shergill, Joe Armstrong as ice-skating coach Kyle Fraiser, Ian Hart, Nathan Mensah, Matilda Freeman, Gavin Spokes, Josh Bolt and Ceallach Spellman. Producers said the ensemble will guide viewers through a narrative that explores police corruption, exploitation and misogyny as the investigation unfolds.
Polly Hill, ITV’s director of drama, described The Blame as "a brilliant new crime thriller full of surprising twists and a compelling investigation that also cleverly tackles police corruption, exploitation and misogyny." Executive producers Nicola Shindler and Richard Fee of Quay Street Productions said they were "delighted" to work again with Gallagher on the adaptation.
Filming began after the casting was revealed last month. Production sources said the series was shot on location in Hertford for the scenes observed, with crews working into the night to capture the late-hour atmosphere specified in the scripts.
Keegan’s involvement in The Blame follows her recent maternity leave; the actress has returned to set after the birth of her daughter. The filming comes as Keegan is also preparing for the broadcast of the seventh and final series of the Sky comedy Brassic, which is scheduled to conclude on Sept. 25. Keegan completed filming on Brassic in May.
The Blame is being positioned as a contemporary police thriller that aims to examine institutional failings through the mechanics of a criminal investigation. Gallagher, whose previous credits include All Her Fault and Wolf, is credited with adapting Langley’s novel for screen and steering the series as an executive producer.
ITV has not yet announced a broadcast date for The Blame. Production and network statements say the six-part series will chart the widening effects of the initial death in Wakestead as detectives confront both external suspects and internal resistance while attempting to reach the truth.