Richard Armitage’s new ITV crime drama Winter has arrived, with the actor taking the lead as brilliant forensic pathologist Dr Ethan Winter.
The six-part series follows Winter as he works alongside DI Lauren Bell (Annabel Scholey) to investigate a series of complex murder cases.
But with the drama dealing with murders, forensic evidence and a mysterious unsolved killing from Winter’s own past, viewers may be wondering: is Winter based on a true story?
Is Winter based on a true story?
No, Winter is not based on a true story or a real-life forensic pathologist.
Instead, the ITV drama is an adaptation of the French crime series Balthazar.
Winter has been adapted for British television by David Allison and Mark Greig, with Richard Armitage playing the role of Dr Ethan Winter. ITV describes the character as an unconventional forensic pathologist whose analytical skills help police solve difficult murder cases.
The series is therefore fictional, although its cases are presented in the style of a modern police procedural.
What is Winter based on?
Winter is based on the French television series Balthazar, which was created by Clothilde Jamin and Clélia Constantine.
The original series follows Raphaël Balthazar, a brilliant forensic pathologist who works with the police to solve murder cases. The French drama ran for five seasons from 2018 until 2023.
The basic premise has been reworked for the UK version, with Armitage’s Ethan Winter taking over the central forensic role and Annabel Scholey playing DI Lauren Bell.
ITV has described Winter as a British adaptation of the French format rather than a remake of a real-life crime story.
Who is Ethan Winter?
Ethan Winter is a fictional character played by Richard Armitage.
He is introduced as one of the most gifted pathologists of his generation, with an extraordinary analytical mind and an unconventional approach to solving crimes.
His partnership with DI Lauren Bell forms the centre of the series.
But there is more to Winter than the individual murder investigations.
An unsolved murder involving someone close to him continues to haunt the pathologist, and he begins pursuing his own investigation into the case.
That personal mystery runs throughout the six-part series alongside the individual cases featured in each episode.
Is Balthazar based on a true story?
No. Balthazar is also a fictional crime drama.
The French series stars Tomer Sisley as Raphaël Balthazar and combines forensic investigation with traditional police-procedural storytelling.
The original show ran for five seasons and has subsequently been made available on ITVX in the UK.
That means viewers who become hooked on Winter have the opportunity to go back and watch the French series that inspired it.
Are the murders in Winter real?
The individual murder cases in Winter are fictional stories created for the drama.
The series uses forensic science, police investigations and crime-scene evidence to make those stories feel realistic, but ITV has not presented the cases as dramatisations of specific real crimes.
Each episode features its own self-contained crime story, while the larger mystery surrounding Winter’s personal life continues across the series.
Where can you watch Winter?
Winter‘s premiere date on ITV1 is Wednesday, September 30, 2026, with the series also made available as a box set on ITVX.
The drama is set in Bristol, although filming took place in both Bristol and Belgium.
Richard Armitage stars as Ethan Winter, with Annabel Scholey as DI Lauren Bell.
And if you want to see the original series that inspired the ITV drama, all five seasons of Balthazar are currently available on ITVX.
So, is Winter a true story?
No. Winter is not based on a true story.
The Richard Armitage drama is a fictional British adaptation of the French crime series Balthazar.
While the forensic investigations and murder cases are fictional, the show’s format is designed to give viewers the feel of a realistic police procedural, with each episode bringing a new case while Winter’s own unresolved mystery develops across the series.
For viewers who finish Winter and want more, the original Balthazar is already available to watch on ITVX.
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