Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard) is set to star in and executive produce the ITV crime drama Honour, Deadline has learned. The drama will be produced by Hera Pictures and exec produced by Peter Kosminsky. The show was commissioned by Head of Drama, Polly Hill for ITV.
The drama is based on the true story of Banaz Mahmod, a Londoner girl who was murdered by her family for loving the wrong person. Hawes will play Caroline Goode, a detective who brought Banaz’s killers to justice.
Richard Laxton (Mrs Wilson) will serve as director of the drama, which is produced by Hera Pictures owned by Liza Marshall (Temple for Sky, and Hawes’ indie Buddy Club). Hawes will exec produce together with Kosminsky, Hughes and Marshall. Alliea Nazar will also serve as a producer of the two-part series, Deadline has reported.
“It is a privilege to be working on Honour as Buddy Club’s first ever project. In a time where honour killings are still rife, it is critical to shine a light on such an important subject. Banaz Mahmod’s story and DCI Goode’s subsequent investigation is certainly one that needs to be told and I am proud to be a part of it,” Hawes said.
“Banaz Mahmod met her brutish death on the orders of her own father and uncle, which I find profoundly unsettling. That this story is ultimately so uplifting is down to the sheer heroism and dedication of the police officers who hunted down her killers. Caroline Goode and her team felt real love for this girl they’d never met. I found their unusual warmth and humanity deeply moving,” Hughes said.
“Gwyn’s scripts beautifully and sensitively tell the story of DCI Caroline Goode’s investigation into the tragic murder of Banaz Mahmod. I am proud to work with Liza and Hera Pictures, to bring this important story to screen on ITV,” added Hill.
“At Hera Pictures we are committed to telling stories about remarkable women, so I feel privileged to bring Gwyneth’s sensitive and skillful script to screen and to shine a light on the bravery of Banaz and Caroline’s dedication to achieving justice for her. I am delighted that Polly and the team at ITV share our passion for this story and we couldn’t have hoped for a better actress than Keeley to take on this role,” added Marshall.
Filming is set to begin in September 2019. ITV Studios Global Entertainment will distribute the series globally.