
- Netflix is set to release a new dark drama series called Witch Hunt, created by Abi Morgan and starring Sarah Lancashire as August Howell, a woman returning to her hometown after 30 years in prison for drowning her three young daughters.
- The series follows August’s return to a university town, where her arrival triggers fears of a modern-day witch hunt and becomes connected to a murder investigation targeting people in the community.
- Sarah Lancashire, known for her roles in Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, will play a complex character in Witch Hunt, adding to her diverse television career that includes crime dramas, historical shows, and biographical series.
A new dark drama is coming to Netflix. The series will center on a woman whose return to her hometown sparks fear and suspicion. Her arrival soon becomes connected to a modern-day witch hunt and a murder investigation.
According to Deadline, Doctor Who star Sarah Lancashire is leading Netflix‘s Witch Hunt. Abi Morgan created the dark drama, which follows a woman returning to a university town after spending decades in prison. The series will explore how her troubled past affects the community around her.
Lancashire plays August Howell, a descendant of the “Witch of Cambridge.” August returns home after 30 years in prison for drowning her three young daughters. However, the community does not welcome her return. Instead, growing fears suggest that her arrival may have triggered a modern-day witch hunt.
The situation takes a darker turn when a killer begins targeting people in the university town. The police eventually turn to August’s last surviving daughter, Professor Wren Howell. They ask Wren to help find the killer as the investigation brings her family’s past back into focus.
Morgan is writing the series and will executive produce alongside Lancashire. The project is another collaboration between Netflix and Morgan, who previously created Eric. Netflix has not yet announced a release date or additional cast members.
What has Sarah Lancashire starred in outside of Doctor Who?
Lancashire has built an extensive television career outside of Doctor Who. One of her best-known roles came in Happy Valley, where she played police sergeant Catherine Cawood. The BBC crime drama ran for three seasons and earned Lancashire multiple awards for her performance.
Lancashire also starred as Caroline Dawson in Last Tango in Halifax. Her other television credits include The Paradise, Kiri, The Accident, and Julia, where she played chef Julia Child. She also stars in Netflix’s spy thriller Black Doves.
Her work includes crime dramas, historical shows, and biographical series. In Witch Hunt, she will play another complex character in a dark mystery.