ITV commissions Leeds-set crime drama starring Adjoa Andoh

ITV has ordered a six-part crime drama set in Leeds, starring actress, writer and theatre director Adjoa Andoh, whose credits include Bridgerton, The Red King, Dr Who and Invictus.

In Protect and Serve (working title), Andoh plays DI Araba Dadzie, who leads the inquiry into the fatal shooting of a teenage boy. He had been living with his brother in a privately owned children’s care home after their grandfather became ill.

Araba and her murder squad try to establish why the boy was targeted, piecing together his life in the home as they work to find his killer.

Andoh created the series with Helen Black, who wrote it. Black’s previous work includes Joan, Time II and The Wives. Big Talk Studios, part of ITV Studios, is producing.

A detective under pressure

“How does a woman juggle an aging father, a chippy student daughter and a non-existent sex life, while investigating murders as a black female cop. That’s the lot of DI Araba Dadzie, Senior Investigation Officer on a Homicide and Major Enquiry Team in central Leeds,” said Andoh.

“It’s a job that costs, a job that we the public need, and in spite of the challenges, it’s a job Araba feels called to, much like a priest or a teacher.”

She explained the choice of setting: “Protect and Serve our crime show is set in the great city of Leeds. I love this city and I love the city’s football club Leeds United. I lived in Leeds as a child and half my English family have been Yorkshire sheep farmers going back to the 1600’s – hence the setting.”

“I am thrilled by the team behind Protect and Serve. Polly Hill at ITV, Big Talk Studios, Jenny van der Lande, and fabulous writer Helen Black of Time fame. As mothers the national disgrace of our unregulated children’s homes is something we are all shocked by. How do we as a society protect our children? It’s a question that drives Araba, that drives our first season,” she added.

Polly Hill, ITV’s director of drama, will oversee production for the broadcaster.

“I’m delighted to commission Protect and Serve as I have been wanting to find a show with Adjoa Andoh for some time. We have a shared ambition, together with Big Talk, to make a great police series that also has something to say,” said Hill.

“Helen Black’s scripts uncover the scandal in privatised children’s care homes while Araba lets us see what cost there is to becoming a high ranking black policewoman. It’s a show we are very proud to be making for ITV with such a great team.”

Production team

Kenton Allen, chief executive of Big Talk Studios, is executive producer with Andoh and Black. They are joined by Jenny van der Lande (Strike, Mrs Wilson, Too Close, You Don’t Know Me, Joan), who introduced the project and developed it, and Chris Clough (Mr Bates vs The Post Office).

Nimer Rashed, who directed Run Away and Missing You, is the director. Stella Nwimo (Virdee, Three Little Birds, Gangs of London) will produce.

“Having long wanted to make a TV show about the care system and the scandal of the profits being made from the most vulnerable children in society, I’m delighted to be able to do so with my co-creator Adjoa Andoh, producer Jenny van der Lande and Polly Hill at ITV,” said Black.

“I’m equally delighted that Nimer Rashed has come on board to direct and look forward to working closely with him.”

Filming starts in early 2027. More casting will be announced nearer to production.