Photo: Acorn TV
Second season for crime drama based on Julie Wassmer’s novels
A second season of the Acorn TV crime drama series, Whitstable Pearl, has begun filming in Whitstable.
Based on the popular crime novels, “The Whitstable Pearl Mysteries” by Julie Wassmer, this second 6-part series sees the return of Kerry Godliman (Derek, After Life) in the lead role as Pearl Nolan, chef and owner of the eponymous Whitstable Pearl restaurant which she runs alongside her son, Charlie, waitress Ruby, and in spite of her mother, Dolly. As the proprietor of a local detective agency, Pearl also puts her distant police training to good use. Howard Charles (The Musketeers) also returns as Pearl’s on-off rival and love interest, with Frances Barber as Dolly Nolan, Pearl’s mother.
Following the success of Season 1 which began airing on AMC Network’s Acorn TV in May last year with Norway’s Øystein Karlsen (Exit, DAG, Lilyhammer) as lead writer and creator of the show, the new season will again be produced by Buccaneer Media, the award-winning company behind global hit detective series Marcella, and Irvine Welsh’s Crime. Filming has already begun in Whitstable and is set to continue for several more weeks.
In Season 1, Pearl juggled her commitments to her restaurant, with her ‘side hustle’ as a PI. In Season 2, Pearl will prioritise her detective work and transition from being a chef who solves crimes, to a full time investigator who just happens to own a restaurant.
Pearl’s cases overlap with Mike McGuire’s police investigations. Their relationship is charged by a determination to outdo each other, and a fiery mutual attraction. When they compete, sparks fly and tempers flare. When they work together, they make one hell of a team.
Julie Wassmer said, “Knowing how well Whitstable Pearl has been received across so many territories, I’m sure viewers will be as excited as I am to know the series is returning for a new season in which Pearl will be immersed in more crime, family drama and a compelling will-they-won’t-they love affair – all set against the stunning backdrop of Whitstable’s mysterious coast – with a to-die-for cast who bring so much to every character”.
Kerry Godliman said, “I’m delighted to get the chance to play Pearl for a second series. She’s such a rich character to dive into and I adore her passion for Whitstable, justice and oysters…and maybe a certain DCI too. Can’t wait!”
Catherine Mackin, Managing Director, Acorn Media Enterprises, shared, “Pearl was an instant favourite for the Acorn TV audience and one of our top performers of 2021 in multiple territories. Acorn Media Enterprises is excited to bring another adaptation of Julie Wassmer’s captivating seaside mysteries to the small screen. Also, we’re delighted to have Kerry Godliman resume the lead role, ushering us through additional nuances of this now beloved character and new parts of Whitstable’s picturesque setting.”
Tony Wood and Richard Tulk-Hart, joint CEOs of Buccaneer Media said “We are thrilled to see the world of Whitstable Pearl coming back. The response to season one was more than we could have hoped for and now the audience knows the main characters, we can build on the parts of the show we know worked best. Our hope is to see Pearl solving cases for years to come.”
The producer of the series is Letitia Knight. Executive Producers are Tony Wood, Anna Burns and Richard Tulk-Hart for Buccaneer, Catherine Mackin for Acorn Media Enterprises, Øystein Karlsen and Julie Wassmer.
The series will air on Acorn TV in North America, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom with distribution deals having been secured for the series by Cineflix Rights with Sky Italia, NHK Japan, BBC Worldwide (Benelux), and NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer for Universal TV in Africa.
James Durie, Head of Scripted, Cineflix Rights said: “Whitstable Pearl has been a great success in the US and UK, and we’re delighted to be acquiring the second season for worldwide distribution. These latest deals in Europe, Asia, and Africa further demonstrate the show’s strong international appeal, and we’ve already secured pre-sales for Season 2 across the Nordic region with more deals in the pipeline.”
Official trailer for Season 1:
Season 1 – 30 min feature – Behind the Scenes:
You can get a 30-day free trial for Acorn TV and watch all 6 episodes of Season 1 of Whitstable Pearl here: https://uk.acorn.tv/whitstablepearl/
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