Blue Lights star Martin McCann is officially trading Belfast for the New Forest, stepping up to lead the cast of ITV’s upcoming police drama She Lies in Wait. McCann, who earned widespread acclaim for his standout performance in the hit BBC northern Irish cop series Blue Lights—a critically lauded smash hit that captivated millions with its gritty, high-stakes portrayal of frontline policing—is set to head up another major crime investigation.
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In the new series, McCann will play the “likeable and dedicated” DI Jonah Sheens as he reopens the cold case of a teenager who vanished during a camping trip with friends over two decades ago. Jumping between the present day and the immediate aftermath of the disappearance, the narrative dives into themes of friendship, lust, betrayal, rivalry, and ultimately murder.
Joining McCann on the investigation are Ella Dacres (Last Resort, Paddington in Peru) and Stephen Tompkinson (The Fortune, Ellis) as Sheens’ detective colleagues. Meanwhile, the adult survivors of the fateful camping trip will be portrayed by a star-studded ensemble featuring Jemima Rooper (Geek Girl), Al Weaver (Grantchester), Ben Bailey Smith (Andor), Bradley James (Merlin), Jade Harrison (Beyond Paradise), and Olivia Mace (Dominion).
Adapted from Gytha Lodge’s bestselling novel by screenwriter Ed Whitmore, the project is produced by Clapperboard in association with Studio TF1. Marc Evans (The Steeltown Murders) will direct, with Myf Hopkins serving as producer. Since its launch in 2020, Clapperboard has built a formidable reputation for low-cost drama, producing 161 hours of television across 33 scripted series, including Channel 5’s anthology The Teacher and cosy crime series Benidorm Is Murder.
Mike Benson, Clapperboard managing director and co-executive producer alongside Rachel Gesua, praised the project’s leading man and creative team.
“We’re delighted to be working with a brilliant team on the project, led by such smart and respected creatives in Ed, Marc and Myf,” Benson said. “The scripts are so rich with intrigue and nostalgia, and we were really thrilled the supremely talented Martin McCann agreed to lead the series as the complicated – and potentially compromised – Jonah Sheens.”
Benson added: “It’s hugely exciting to be working for the first time with the team at ITV and we can’t wait to bring the adaption of Gytha’s wonderful novel to our screens.”
ITV’s Commissioning Editor Helen Hughes noted that the novel is “a perfect fit for television”, adding: “We’re excited to be working with such a talented creative team in Ed Whitmore, Marc Evans and Clapperboard to adapt this exceptional book for the screen and introduce the brilliant characters to a whole new audience.”
Whitmore revealed he was “hooked” from the moment he first heard the premise of the book.
“But when I read the novel itself, I was gripped, entranced and moved,” he said. “I was utterly certain this was a story I wanted to bring to the screen and in collaborating with Clapperboard Studios and director Marc Evans, I’m lucky enough to be part of a truly stellar creative team.”
She Lies in Wait will be broadcast next year on ITV.
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