Lynley (TV series)

Last updated

Lynley
Genre Crime drama
Based onThe Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George
Written by Steve Thompson
Directed by Ed Bazalgette
Starring
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • David Stern
  • Colin Callender
  • Robert Schildhouse
  • Stephen Nye
  • Jon Farrar
  • Jess O'Riordan
  • Kate Woods
  • Sue Deeks
ProducerSuzanne McAuley
Running time90 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network BritBox (United States)
Release4 September 2025 (2025-09-04) 
present
Network BBC One (United Kingdom)
Release5 January 2026 (2026-01-05) 
present

Lynley is a British crime drama television series that is an adaptation of the Inspector Lynley novel series by Elizabeth George. Leo Suter plays the title role, Detective Inspector (DI) Tommy Lynley, alongside Sofia Barclay as Detective Sergeant (DS) Barbara Havers. The series premiered on 4 September 2025 on BritBox in the United States and on 5 January 2026 on BBC One in the United Kingdom.

Contents

Premise

A mismatched crime-solving detective duo working for the fictitious Three Counties police force and based in Norfolk are teamed up: an aristocratic male police inspector and a maverick female sergeant from a working class background. Together, the two become a formidable team, bonded by their integrity and their desire to see justice done, while the series tackles issues around personality, gender, and class. [1]

Cast and characters

Production

The Elizabeth George Inspector Lynley novels are adapted by Steve Thompson, who is also an executive producer. The four-part series is directed by Ed Bazalgette. It is produced by BritBox International, Playground and Salt Films. [2]

The series was purchased by the BBC in October 2024. Suzanne McAuley is series producer. David Stern and Colin Callender are executive producers for Playground with Robert Schildhouse, Stephen Nye, Jon Farrar and Jess O'Riordan executive producers for BritBox, Kate Woods executive producer for BBC Studios and Sue Deeks as executive producer for the BBC. A previous adaptation of the books, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries , was broadcast on BBC One between 2001 and 2008. [3]

The cast is led by Leo Suter and Sofia Barclay and also includes Daniel Mays, Niamh Walsh and Michael Workéyè. [4]

Filming began in Ireland in August 2024. [5]

Broadcast

Lynley premiered on 4 September 2025 on BritBox in the United States. [6] [7] In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on 5 January 2026 on BBC One, with all episodes made available on BBC iPlayer the same day. [8]

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateUK air date
11"A Place of Hiding"Ed BazalgetteSteve Thompson4 September 2025 (2025-09-04)5 January 2026
22"This Body of Death"Ed BazalgetteSteve Thompson11 September 2025 (2025-09-11)12 January 2026
33"Careless in Red"Stewart SvaasandSteve Thompson18 September 2025 (2025-09-18)19 January 2026
44"With No One as a Witness"Ed BazalgetteSteve Thompson25 September 2025 (2025-09-25)26 January 2026

References

  1. Berman, Marc (16 October 2024). "'Lynley,' Based on the Crime Novels, Begins Filming for Britbox". Programminginsider.com. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  2. Goldbart, Max (26 July 2024). "Inspector Lynley Series In The Works At BritBox International & 'Wolf Hall' Producer Playground". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  3. Goldbart, Max (16 October 2024). "BBC Buys BritBox International's 'Lynley' Series As Elizabeth George Adaptation Rounds Out Cast & Rolls Cameras". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  4. Cremona, Patrick (16 October 2024). "BBC announces Lynley adaptation with Ted Lasso, Line of Duty and Vera stars". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  5. Abbatescianni, Davide (23 August 2024). "Lynley reboot, toplined by Leo Suter and Sofia Barclay, filming in Ireland". CinEuropa. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  6. "Britbox/US Lynley". Britbox US. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  7. McPherson, Chris (16 October 2024). "Inspector Lynley Returns as BritBox Reboots the Beloved British Mystery Series". Collider. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  8. Cormack, Morgan (12 December 2025). "New Inspector Lynley adaptation with Sanditon favourite gets release date confirmed by the BBC". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 December 2025.