All Creatures Great and Small star Rachel Shenton is leading the star-studded cast of Channel 5's upcoming thriller, The Rumour – and it sounds gripping.
Based on the Sunday Times bestselling book by Lesley Kara, the five-part series follows young mum Joanna, who moves to a quiet town with her son in search of a fresh start. However, she soon finds herself entangled in the lives of local mums and unsettling community dynamics before becoming embroiled in a web of secrets and paranoia.
Wolf Hall actress Joanne Whalley is also featured in the impressive cast, alongside Rivals star Emily Atack, Doctor Who's Samuel Anderson, and Motherland star Ellie Haddington.
Other cast members include Lucy Speed (Unforgotten, Afterlife), Liza Sadovy (A Real Pain, Patience, A Small Light) and Carryl Thomas (Emmerdale, Silo, Silent Witness, Eastenders). Rounding out the ensemble are Tamzin Griffin, Alex Waldmann and Okezie Morro.
So, what can viewers expect?
After moving to a quiet town, young mum Joanna discovers a rumour online about a child killer living in the community. But when she tries to use the information to win over mums at the school gate, suspicion grows.
The series explores how quickly small-town gossip can spiral out of control, forcing Joanna to confront the unforeseen consequences of curiosity and mistrust in her search for answers.
The full synopsis reads: "Joanna moves with her young son, Alfie, to the quiet town of Flinstead, seeking a fresh start. However, she quickly becomes entangled in the lives of local mothers and the unsettling dynamics of the community. When Joanna stumbles upon an online rumour about a child killer living in the town, she uses it to win over the mums at the school gate.
"As gossip spreads, suspicions build, and Joanna finds herself drawn into a web of secrets and paranoia. Balancing her efforts to protect her son with the growing unease in town, Joanna struggles to distinguish between truth and hearsay. With relationships strained and emotions running high, the boundaries between trust and fear blur."
Richard Clark, known for his work on Doctor Who and War of the Worlds, is at the helm as director. Meanwhile, Giula Sandler (The House Across the Street, White House Farm) writes and executive produces and Dominic Barlow (The Mallorca Files, Mr Selfridge) is on board as producer.
Leading lady Rachel said of the news: "I'm really excited to play Joanna. The Rumour is a story of a woman unravelling as she relentlessly pursues the truth. She's very relatable and the cast are amazing. It’s lovely to work with so many women."