Sarah Phelps, the BAFTA-winning screenwriter, is taking her spine-tingling psychological thriller to ITV for the first time.
Phelps, known for her work on BBC shows such as EastEnders and A Very English Scandal, will write an original drama series, Daughter, for ITV and ITVX. The series will be produced by ITV Studios’ Happy Prince.
Described as a “dark contemporary tale”, Daughter will centre on two mothers from different backgrounds and their teenage daughters. When an accusation of bullying poisons the girls’ friendship, the mothers go to war to defend their children, exposing deep tensions and tearing their families apart.
The series will explore the question: “How far would you go to protect your children – and how well do you really know them?”
Phelps said she was thrilled to tell a story that examines “the lies we tell ourselves about the people we love the most”.
ITV commissioning editor Helen Ziegler praised Phelps as “an extraordinary voice of our times”, while Happy Prince’s Chief Creative Officer, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, called her “one of our greatest contemporary screenwriters”.
Phelps is best known for her work on BBC adaptations of Agatha Christie’s novels, including The ABC Murders and And Then There Were None. She has also written for the Royal Shakespeare Company and adapted J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy for television.
Daughter is Phelps’ first drama for ITV and ITVX.
