New ITV drama The Blame follows DI Emma Crane (Michelle Keegan) and DI Tom Radley (Douglas Booth) as they lead a tragic murder investigation in the fictional town of Wakestead. Although the detectives swiftly zero in on a primary suspect, a surprising new lead disrupts the investigation. As Crane and Radley press further, they expose a tangled network of deceit, systemic cover-ups, and ethical compromises—ultimately driving Emma to doubt those in her inner circle.
Blending high-stakes mystery with a core love story, the series delivers a candid look at modern policing while confronting deep questions of trust and betrayal.
Douglas Booth is DI Tom Radley…
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DI Tom Radley has rapidly ascended the ranks at Wakestead. His colleagues may be jealous of his success, but he is astute and ambitious, and his reputation at Wakestead is on the rise. But as Tom and Emma dig deeper into the Sophie Madsen case, Tom finds his instincts tested. He’s forced to make some tough decisions that challenge his partnership with Emma.
Can you tell us a little about your character and what first attracted you to the role?
I’d never played a detective before so that was a draw. He also seemed like an
interesting, complex human. He’s quite relatable but absolutely flawed and a character
who is navigating a very grey area. He is someone who wants to do good, but who gets
sucked into making morally complex decisions by a broken system.
What methods do you employ to find your character?
It always starts with figuring out who he is before we meet him in the script – what’s
brought him to that point. I often end up writing a character bible filling in all the blanks.
Where did he go to school? What were his first relationships like? What are the things in
his personality that lead him to make the decisions that he does? I do it so there’s a
reason behind all the choices that he makes. Then I have a conversation with the writer
Megan to go through what I was thinking and to check that I’m on the right course.
The drama draws on real-life events in terms of police malpractice & institutional
misogyny – did you feel an extra responsibility because of that?
Yes, it was definitely a big responsibility when you’re dealing with this subject matter. It
helped that we had a female writer and a female director. I also spoke to a real
Metropolitan Police DCI which was eye opening. I remember one of the main takeaways
from our conversations was how much the Met doesn’t want another scandal.
Tom is one of the main protagonists, do you feel a certain pressure – or is it more of
a privilege?
It’s definitely a privilege. To be able to take a character through a number of scenes and
really have the time and space to explore who they are takes the pressure off each
individual moment.
What memory stands out from your time filming The Blame?
For me it was getting to work with this cast. Ian Hart is absolutely brilliant and lots of fun
to be around – but my golden moments were getting to work with Michelle. She’s just
the absolute best. So very talented and just the most effortless actor. We got to explore
their relationship and film quiet, unsaid, nuanced moments, as well as having a laugh
tripping over all the ridiculous police jargon! She’s a bright sparkle of a human and
wonderful to work with and be around.
They say a drama is only as good as it’s villain, do you agree and what do you think
audiences will make of the final reveal?
The show certainly keeps us guessing as to who it is. I would challenge the idea of a
single antagonist though. For me, the real villain is the toxicity of the system and how it
traps people and erodes their moral core. The police do amazing work, and I have a lot
of respect for them. It’s absolutely not an easy job to do but there’s clearly a toxic
culture that lives within it that lets both the public and the service down.
What shows has Douglas Booth been in before? And where to watch them…
English actor Douglas Booth made his television breakthrough playing Boy George in the BBC biographical film Worried About the Boy (2010), before appearing as Prince Eustace in the historical miniseries The Pillars of the Earth (2010) and starring as Pip in the BBC adaptation of Great Expectations (2011) alongside Gillian Anderson. His television career also includes roles as Heinz Neddermayer in Christopher and His Kind (2011), Anthony Marston in the mystery miniseries And Then There Were None (2015), Red Bill in the spaghetti Western series That Dirty Black Bag (2022), and Cluracan in Netflix’s fantasy series The Sandman (2022–2025).
Where to stream these shows depending on your platform options:
- The Sandman: Available to stream on Netflix.
- Great Expectations & The Pillars of the Earth: Streaming availability varies by region, but they are available to stream, rent, or buy on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Hulu.
- And Then There Were None & That Dirty Black Bag: Available to stream or purchase on platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV, and AMC+/Shudder.
You can watch the new drama The Blame starting on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at 9:00 PM on ITV1 and ITVX.
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