Harry Potter alum Miranda Richardson (Rita Skeeter) and Zoe Wanamaker (Madam Hooch) will headline a new ITV drama called
Girlfriends, filming this summer in the U.K. Newly-announced to join the cast of the series are the actresses' former costars Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and Adrian Rawlins (James Potter) in supporting roles.
No word yet on when the six hour-long episodic program will debut on British television (and worldwide).
More about the series can be read here, via ITV:
Zoë Wanamaker, Miranda Richardson and Phyllis Logan lead an all-star cast in Kay Mellor’s brand new ITV drama Girlfriends
Brand new ITV drama Girlfriends - from the pen of BAFTA award-winning screenwriter Kay Mellor and starring Zoë Wanamaker (Mr Selfridge, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, My Family, Gormenghast, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone), Miranda Richardson (Mapp & Lucia, And Then There Were None, Churchill, iBoy) and Phyllis Logan (The Good Karma Hospital, Downton Abbey) - starts filming next month produced by Rollem Productions.
Girlfriends is a contemporary story of Linda, Sue and Gail as they struggle with the responsibilities that come with being a modern woman of a certain age.
After the dramatic and sudden death of Linda’s husband Micky, childhood friends Linda (Phyllis Logan), Sue (Miranda Richardson) and Gail (Zoë Wanamaker) find themselves back together again. Each has their own problems to face; from a looming divorce from the husband she still loves and the loss of a high-powered job through age discrimination, to juggling the endless responsibilities of their grandchildren and aging mothers.
As widowed Linda tries to come to terms with being on her own after over 30 years of marriage, she and her girlfriends are horrified to find that this could be the least of her worries. As questions over the circumstances of Micky’s death start to be asked, accusations reveal secrets, deception and doubts that tear at our Girlfriends’ friendship. Will it endure or will it be severely put to the test?
Girlfriends is a contemporary story about friends, family, responsibilities and the inevitable changes that age brings... But true friendship remains the same no matter how many years have passed.
Phyllis Logan says: "I’m thrilled to be part of Girlfriends, written by the wonderful Kay Mellor and to be working not only with her but the stellar cast that has been assembled. It’s a hugely exciting project and I feel enormously fortunate to be involved in it. I can’t wait to get started.”
Miranda Richardson comments: “A whole summer spent working on a women-driven script, written and directed by a woman who has proved herself many times over as a force of nature in TV drama alongside some of our most gifted female actors - what's not to like?”
Zoë Wanamaker adds: “I'm looking forward to working on this exciting new series with such a stellar cast. I have long been a fan of Kay’s work and am relishing the opportunity to work alongside Miranda and Phyllis.”
Girlfriends is a 6 x 60 drama series and has been commissioned by Polly Hill, Head of Drama for ITV. The series will be directed by Kay Mellor (The Syndicate, In The Club) and produced by Josh Dynevor (Fat Friends Series 3, The New Worst Witch). The executive producers are Kay Mellor for Rollem Productions and Polly Hill for ITV. It is a Rollem production for ITV and the series will be distributed by All3media International.