Martin Shaw Swaps Judge for TV Cop

Judge John Deed star Martin Shaw is to play Inspector George Gently in an adaptation of Alan Hunter’s novels by Our Friends In The North writer Peter Flannery.

George Gently is one of the few good men at Scotland Yard, his sense of public duty is an increasingly rare commodity in a police force where corruption is commonplace.

Dedication to duty and the relentless pursuit of notorious gangster Joe Webster leads to the murder of Gently’s beloved wife Isabella, a killing arranged by Webster himself in an act of brutal revenge.

When a grieving Gently learns of the murder of a young biker, Johnny Lister (Christian Cooke, Where The Heart Is), who was part of a Northumberland drugs ring, it has all the hallmarks of a Webster operation and he insists on being given the case, deciding it will be his last.

As the case reaches a violent climax Gently begins to feel that his brand of policing is needed now more than ever – and perhaps he is not ready to call this his last case after all…

Flannery, who also serves as Executive Producer, describes Gently a "e;a hugely interesting character"e; adding that Shaw "e;will bring him to life perfectly"e;.

Other Executive Producers are George Faber and Charlie Pattinson for Company Pictures and Polly Hill for BBC One. Produced by Jake Lushington (Mysterious Creatures) and directed by Euros Lyn (Doctor Who). The drama is scheduled to air on BBC One in Spring 2007.

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