Sheridan Smith confirmed for "exhilarating" new TV mystery thriller following BAFTA nomination

Fresh off her BAFTA TV Awards nomination for Leading Actress, Sheridan Smith has lined up her next role, starring in ITV mystery thriller series Two Birds.

Smith, who was nominated at the BAFTAs for the Leading Actress award for playing Ann Ming in I Fought the Law, will star alongside Judy Davis (Nitram) and Stephen Peacocke (The Newsreader) in the new series, which will be set and filmed in Western Australia.

Written by Helen FitzGerald (The Cry) and directed by James Griffiths (The Ballad of Wallis Island), Two Birds is a six-part series set in Kalgoorlie, a remote Australian mining town. Filming will begin this Spring in Perth and Kalgoorlie.

Smith will play British police constable Izzie Cornwell, who arrives in the small fictional town of Dugdale having been recently widowed and intent on a fresh start and a new life in Australia.

The synopsis for the series says: "Focused upon chasing away her grief, Izzie hopes to reconnect with her sister who moved to the Kalgoorlie area with her Australian husband, and most important of all, to rebuild trust with her twenty-year-old daughter, who is scared by her mother’s recent destructive behaviour.

"Izzie is assigned to investigate a murder alongside her new boss Matt, a Homicide Detective from Perth, played by Stephen Peacocke. When the victim is revealed to be part of a notorious local crime family, led by the formidable Mrs Baxter, played by Judy Davis, the stakes intensify.

"Determined to protect her family and uncover the truth, Mrs Baxter exerts fierce pressure on the case. But the night before Izzie joins the case, one reckless last hurrah goes disastrously wrong and a split-second decision results in consequences Izzie can’t undo, forcing her into a secret she must do everything to contain."

On starring in the series, Smith said in a statement: "I'm thrilled to be playing the irresistibly complex Izzie Cornwell who is in search of new beginnings in Australia. Helen FitzGerald has created a dream role for me, as Izzie, through no fault of her own, becomes embroiled in a web of secrets and lies.

"I'm also looking forward to returning to film in Australia and working with the team at AC Chapter One, ITV and STAN, Australia as we bring Two Birds to life."

FitzGerald added: "I’ve been dreaming about Izzie Cornwell and Mrs Baxter in my head for years now, they are the most personal characters I have ever created. I asked Griff if we could try for Sheridan and Judy to play them, and he only came back with them both! Two Birds, indeed. So, this really is a dream come true for me."

Meanwhile, ITV's drama commissioner Callum Dziedzic said: "From the very first script, it felt like we’d struck gold with Two Birds. Built on an irresistible hook, Helen FitzGerald has crafted a propulsive, twisty thriller with real humanity.

"Sheridan is perfect in the lead and brings her inimitable warmth and depth to Izzie. We can’t wait for our audience to join her in Dugdale and see the extraordinary scale of the gold mine for themselves."

Two Birds will air on ITV1 and ITVX.

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