Acorn TV Commissions Second Season Of WHITSTABLE PEARL From Buccaneer Media

Kerry Godliman (Ricky Gervais’ After Life) to return in crime drama based on the Julie Wassmer novels

AMC Networks’ Acorn TV today announced the commissioning of a second season of the popular British crime drama Whitstable Pearl with Acorn Media Enterprises from Buccaneer Media (Marcella, Crime).

Based on the much-loved novels, “The Whitstable Pearl Mysteries” by Julie Wassmer, the second six-part series (6 x 45’) sees the return of Kerry Godliman (Ricky Gervais’ After Life) in the lead role as Pearl Nolan. Howard Charles also returns as DCI Mike McGuire and Frances Barber as Dolly Nolan, Pearl's mother.

Øystein Karlsen will again be Executive Producer on Whitstable Pearl. Mike Walden (Marcella), who worked alongside Karlsen on season one, picks up the reins as lead writer for season two whilst award-winning director Jon Jones (Hanna, We Hunt Together) has boarded as lead director. Additional writers for season 2 include Kam Odedra (McDonald & Dodds), Jess Williams (Grantchester) and Ben Tagoe (Lucky Man).

Whitstable Pearl explores the dark undercurrents of murder and debauchery swirling beneath the surface of the picturesque 16th century English seaside town of Whitstable, famous for its native oysters and buffeted by the prevailing winds and spray of the North Sea.

Distributed internationally by Cineflix Rights, the Acorn TV Original Series will begin production in Whitstable, England in February 2022. The series will exclusively premiere on Acorn TV in North America, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

The series follows local celebrity 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. She is also the proprietor of a detective agency, finally putting her distant police training to good use.

In Season One, Pearl juggled her commitments to her restaurant, with her ‘side hustle’ as a PI. In Season two, 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 2nd 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 favorite 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.

About Acorn TV & Acorn Media Enterprises

AMC Networks’ Acorn TV is the leading streaming service specializing in British and international television with subscribers worldwide in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Spain, Portugal, among other areas. Acorn TV adds exclusive new programs every week to a deep library of mysteries, dramas, and comedies with no commercials. In 2021, Acorn TV will feature commissioned original series including British crime drama Whitstable Pearl starring Kerry Godliman (After Life), Kiwi romantic comedy Under the Vines starring Rebecca Gibney (Wanted) and Charles Edwards (The Crown), British detective drama Dalgliesh starring Bertie Carvel (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Doctor Foster), the second season of Miss Fisher spinoff Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, as well as Irish crime thriller Bloodlands starring James Nesbitt and co-executive produced by Jed Mercurio, the return of New Zealand detective series My Life Is Murder starring Lucy Lawless, and a growing catalog of popular bingeable dramas that include A Place to Call Home, Detectorists, Jack Irish and Foyle’s War. Recent Acorn TV Original series include Deadwater Fell starring David Tennant and Cush Jumbo, highly rated BBC One drama The Nest starring Martin Compston and Sophie Rundle; and groundbreaking BBC One period drama A Suitable Boy from Mira Nair.

Acorn Media Enterprises is Acorn TV’s UK-based development arm which works with producers, distributors, writers and broadcasters in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and beyond to commission, co-produce and co-finance the best international, English-language scripted shows. AME has commissioned Agatha Raisin Series 2, 3, and 4, Queens of Mystery, London Kills Series 1 and 2, Keeping Faith, Whitstable Pearl, Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries Series 2, among several other productions.

About Buccaneer Media

Buccaneer Media is a London-based international content production company led by joint CEOs Tony Wood and Richard Tulk-Hart.

The company’s mission is to partner with the industry’s best talent, global streaming platforms and broadcasters around the world to create premium scripted content for the international marketplace. Buccaneer currently has projects with partners including ITV, Viaplay, Netflix, Wildbrain, NRK and Acorn.

Buccaneer is currently collaborating with a world-class stable of literary and directing talents including Lars Lundström, Oystein Karlsen, Charley Miles, Ingeborg Topsoe, Harry Wootliff, Irvine Welsh, Dougray Scott, Elizabeth MacNeal, Rose Lewenstein, Baltasar Kormakur and John Brownlow.

Previous productions include ‘Desi Rascals’, the award-winning co-production with Gurinder Chadha (‘Bend It Like Beckham’) for Sky and scripted drama ‘Marcella’ which aired to global critical acclaim and saw Anna Friel winning an Emmy for her lead performance as Marcella Backland. Buccaneer’s much anticipated TV adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s Crime starring Dougray Scott will premiere on BritBox UK on November 18th. It is also working on a TV adaptation of Welsh’s The Blade Artist novel with Welsh and Robert Carlyle.

Buccaneer Media was formed as a joint venture with Cineflix Media in 2013.

Buccaneer Media Follow @BuccaneerMedia.

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