Today, BritBox and the BBC released first-look pictures of Towards Zero, based on the classic mystery by the best-selling author of all time, Agatha Christie. The series was adapted for the screen by BAFTA-nominated Rachel Bennette (NW) and directed by the Olivier Award-winning Sam Yates (Magpie).
Featuring coastal views, heated summer soirees, and a trip to Wimbledon Centre Court, the new pictures give a first glimpse at Lady Tressilian (Anjelica Huston), Inspector Leach (Matthew Rhys), and British tennis star Nevile Strange (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) – seen here with the two ladies in his life: ex-wife Audrey (Ella Lily Hyland) and new wife Kay (Mimi Keene).
Clarke Peters, Anjana Vasan, and Jack Farthing are also seen in the new pictures from the series, which co-stars Jackie Clune (Motherland), Grace Doherty (Call the Midwife), Khalil Gharbia (Mary & George), and Adam Hugill (Sherwood).
England, 1936. After a scandalous celebrity divorce, Nevile Strange and his ex-wife Audrey make the unthinkable decision to spend a summer together at Gull’s Point, their childhood home and the coastal estate of Nevile’s aunt, Lady Tressilian.
With unfinished business between the former childhood sweethearts, plus the presence of Nevile’s new wife, Kay, tensions are running high. Add to this a long-suffering lady’s companion, a mysterious gentleman’s valet, an exiled cousin with a grudge, a venerable family lawyer, an inquisitive orphan, and a French con man, and soon there will be murder.
A troubled detective must rediscover his purpose to untangle a toxic web of jealousy, deceit, and dysfunction. Can he solve the crime before another victim meets their death? An explosive love triangle, a formidable matriarch, and a house party of enemies. All compelled… Towards Zero.
Filming on Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero took place in and around Bristol and on the Devon coast. The series will air on BritBox’s streaming service in the U.S. and Canada, and on the BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK.
“These are among the richest and most complex of Christie’s characters, and I was captivated from the first by the charisma, in particular, of her female characters,” said writer Rachel Bennette. “It has been thrilling to bring them all to life in this disturbing tale of truth and lies, love and hate, a story which unfolds amidst the dark, cinematic glamor of the 1930s, yet feels startlingly of our time.”
Director Sam Yates added: “It has been an honor to bring this most psychological and sensual of Agatha Christie’s stories to vibrant life with a peerless cast of actors and an extraordinary team. Audiences are in for a propulsive, intoxicating ride into the dark hearts of some of Christie’s most irresistible characters.”
Towards Zero follows 2024’s hit Christie adaptation Murder is Easy, which was one of the UK’s most-watched dramas of last year across all channels and streamers. It is currently available on BritBox alongside previous adaptations made by Agatha Christie Limited and Mammoth Screen such as Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero (3×60) is produced by Agatha Christie Limited and Mammoth Screen (part of ITV Studios), and is a co-commission between the BBC and BritBox International. It is adapted by Rachel Bennette, directed by Sam Yates and produced by Rebecca Durbin.
The executive producers are James Prichard for Agatha Christie Limited, Sheena Bucktowonsing and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, Danielle Scott-Haughton for the BBC, and Jon Farrar, Stephen Nye, and Robert Schildhouse for BritBox International. FIFTH SEASON is handling the global distribution.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.