Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise’s Ralf Little lands new role after quitting BBC show
Ralf Little is one of the stars confirmed to be appearing in new Channel 4 thriller series, Hunting Alice Bell, which is now in the works
Ralf Little played DI Neville Parker in Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise(Image: BBC)
Channel 4 has revealed details of its latest thriller, with former Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise star Ralf Little heading up the ensemble cast.
Hunting Alice Bell is a forthcoming six-part psychological thriller crafted by David Baddiel alongside Peter Bradshaw, with Paul Walker directing all episodes.
Ralf, renowned for his portrayal of DI Neville Parker in Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise, will take on the role of Graham Hunter in the series, joined by Alex Roach, known from Nightsleeper, as Fran, and Sherlock’s Amanda Abbington in the part of Julie.
The cast also includes MobLand’s Emily Barber as Vanessa, God’s Creatures star Toni O’Rourke playing Ros, and Halo’s Christina Bennington as Charlotte.
Rudi Dharmalingam from The Lazarus Project will portray Nick, whilst Mission Impossible’s Simon Pegg steps into the shoes of Dr Jason Nash, reports the Express.
Ralf Little is set to star in a new Channel 4 thriller (Image: Getty)
Hunting Alice Bell has been described as a thriller “built around a whodunnit”, packed with family drama and social commentary.
The series delves into themes of misogyny and justice, and promises to be “stuffed with cliffhangers” as characters attempt to uncover Alice Bell’s true identity.
The complete synopsis states: “Alice Bell is a former nurse, and also the lover, and accomplice, of a notorious anaesthetist serial killer. She is presently living in Britain under a new identity. When, online, Fran Da Silva is accused of being Alice Bell, her happy family life implodes in a wave of mob hate.
“Then she discovers she’s not the only woman to suffer this fate. Fran and the other accused women band together to fight back and clear their names. But as they battle to prove their innocence, what if one of the group is lying – and is the real Alice Bell…?”
Co-creator and lead writer David Baddiel revealed: “The idea for Hunting Alice Bell was originally inspired by real cases of women in the UK becoming terrorised by the local population after suspicions start of them being various national hate figures, secretly living in the community.
“Over time it developed into a six part drama, and more focussed on the way that this kind of destructive rumour-mongering, which can incite riots and mob rage, is now intensified by social media.”
Amanda Abbington will star alongside Ralf in the TV drama (Image: Getty)
He further added: “Technology has created a whole new spin on the idea of mistaken identity. We are told that in the present culture anyone can be who they want to be. But that also means that anyone can have who they are taken away from them: the hive mind can decide who you are. This happens to the five women in Hunting Alice Bell: in a world where identity is very fluid, they have lost control of theirs.”
Rachel Gesua, a producer at Clapperboard Studios, commented: “Hunting Alice Bell is a story for our times, exploring what happens when the online mob come for a group of ordinary women and the devastating effect that can have. David, Peter and the writing team have created a bold and provocative drama, brimming with unforgettable characters and brought to life by the most extraordinary cast. We are thrilled to be working with the team at Channel 4 and Sphere Abacus on such a compelling drama.”
