ITV commissions adaptation of Chris Chibnall’s debut novel Death at the White Hart

Chris Chibnall created ITV’s hit drama series Broadchurch

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has commissioned an adaptation of Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall’s upcoming debut novel Death at the White Hart.

Chibnall’s prodco Imaginary Friends Productions will produce the series with Red Planet Pictures. It will air on ITV1 across the UK and on STV in Scotland, and be available for streaming on ITVX and STV Player.

Set in a village in Dorset, Death at the White Hart follows a detective who must unpick a web of lies and rivalries to unmask the killer of a pub landlord. The novel, set for publication in the UK later this month, is the first of a two-book deal in the UK and US.

Chibnall will write and exec produce the adaptation, with Red Planet’s joint MD Belinda Campbell also exec producing. The series will start production next year, with Fremantle handling international distribution.

Chibnall is best known for creating and writing ITV’s hit drama series Broadchurch, which ran for three seasons. He is also behind the upcoming adaptation of Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery for Netflix.