Jo Joyner, Angela Griffin, and Tamzin Outhwaite Set to Star in new Channel 5 Thriller ‘The Wives’ from Gaumont

LONDON, Wednesday 28th February 2024: Channel 5 today announce Jo Joyner, Angela Griffin, and Tamzin Outhwaite to lead cast in new drama, The Wives (6x60’), a domestic thriller produced by Gaumont, in association with Banijay Rights for international distribution.   

The Wives is a six-part mystery drama that follows the unravelling of one family in a summer that changes all their lives. Last year, four sisters-in-law and their families escaped to their Maltese holiday apartments, as they’ve done every summer for fifteen years. Sylvie Morgan, played by Tamzin Outhwaite (The Tower, Ridley Road, New Tricks), was happily married, Natasha Morgan, played by Angela Griffin (White Lines, The Serial Killers Wife, Waterloo Road), was swimming in wealth, and Beth Morgan, played by Jo Joyner (For Her Sins, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Stay Close), and Annabelle Morgan, played by Christine Bottomley (Sherwood 2, Back to Life, End of the F***ing World), were thick as thieves. But this year, as they come together again, everything is different. Sylvie’s now single and loving life, Natasha’s hiding a desperate financial situation, Beth is barely keeping her life together and Annabelle is, well... dead.   

When Annabelle’s widower Charlie, played by Jamie Bamber (Strike Back, Cannes Confidential, Battlestar Galactica), arrives with a new woman in tow, Beth tries to be happy for them, but something doesn’t sit right. Charlie’s new girlfriend Jade, played by Katie Clarkson-Hill (Trust Me, Grace, Hanna), looks exactly like Annabelle. Beth’s plans to have a great summer are quickly scuppered by Charlie’s odd behaviour, and her suspicion that there is more to Annabelle’s death is heightened. With lies coming to light and evidence building, the women work together and against each other to unravel the mystery and bring the culprit to justice. But with corrupt officials, drug cartels and career criminals closer to home than ever expected, have they bitten off more than they can chew?   

Further cast announced are Ben Willbond (Ghosts, There She Goes, Good Omens), as the eldest Morgan brother and Beth’s husband Frankie Morgan, Jonathan Forbes (Catastrophe, Fearless, Dublin Murders) will play Natasha’s loving husband Sean Morgan, Catriona Chandler (The Rivals, Enola Holmes 2, Pistol) as Annabelle and Charlie’s daughter Sky Morgan, Louis Boyer (Shadow and Bone, Wreck, The Ledge) as charming local businessman Luca Vella and Ajay Chhabra (Phoenix Rise, This England, Rough Diamonds) as consulate official Vinay Taneja.   

The Wives has been ordered for Channel 5 by Sebastian Cardwell, Deputy Chief Content Officer, Paramount UK and Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama, Channel 5 and Paramount+. Executive producers for Gaumont are Jess Connell and Alison Jackson. Produced by Margot Gavan Duffy, The Wives was written and created by Helen Black (Time S2, Life and Death in the Warehouse), with episodes by Ciara Conway (Screw, Holby City) and Jamie Jackson. The series will be directed by Claire Tailyour (Phoenix Rise, Deceit) and Paulette Randall (Waterloo Road, Tin Star).   

On filming the new series, Jo Joyner comments: “I’m so pleased to be working with Gaumont and in Malta again on The Wives, an exciting female led thriller. I’ve become so fond of Malta and its warm and welcoming people, coupled with working with this great cast, not least of all Angela Griffin and Tamzin Outhwaite, this is going to be a fantastic piece. I can’t wait to get started.”   

Angela Griffin says: “What a dream to work on The Wives. With Tamzin Outhwaite and Jo Joyner on screen, and Helen Black, Claire Tailyour and Paulette Randall part of the creative force, the incredible female presence in front and behind the camera was a huge draw. The scripts are full of warmth, female friendship, humour, with a huge whodunnit in the middle…. And on top of all of that it’s set in Malta. I feel really lucky to be a part of this project and to be playing Natasha, who has found herself carrying a secret she’s desperately trying to hide.”   

Tamzin Outhwaite adds: “I am thrilled to be playing Sylvie alongside the rest of this brilliant cast! The Wives is set to be filled with lots of drama and even more beautiful Malta scenery, I can’t wait for Channel 5 audiences to be swept away on the adventure.”   

A compulsive drama, full of guilty pleasures, The Wives has started filming in Malta and is set to air on Channel 5 later in 2024.   

ENDS   

For press enquiries please contact: 

Kate Killgour | Kate.Killgour@paramount.com 

Amanda Browne | Amanda.Browne@paramount.com   

NOTES TO EDITORS   

About Channel 5 

Channel 5 is a multi-award-winning service broadcaster and the UK’s third largest commercial TV station. Launched in March 1997, Channel 5 has been part of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS) since its acquisition in September 2014.   Channel 5, its digital brands 5STAR, 5USA, 5SELECT, 5ACTION and on-demand platform My5 offer a diverse range of critically acclaimed, original programmes featuring well-known faces and fresh new talent – from issue-led documentaries, popular factual series and accessible history shows to premium drama and agenda-setting news & current affairs. Channel 5 is the only PSB to air children’s content daily through its much-loved programming strand Milkshake! – home to some of the world’s favourite pre-school characters.   The free to air broadcaster’s agenda-driving commissions and distinctive British programming lead on societal issues from inequality to homelessness and mental health, aiming to tell the story of modern Britain by reflecting the lives of people across the UK.   

Channel 5’s portfolio significantly increased its share of the UK viewing audience in 2023 (+5%) - the only UK public service broadcaster to do so, marking five consecutive years of growth.   

Recent industry acclaim include: winning 2022’s Best Factual Show at the viewer voted TV Choice Awards for Springtime on the Farm and 2023’s inaugural True Crime Awards for Who Killed Billie Jo? White Nanny Black Child became the first ever documentary to win the Jury Prize at the 2023 Africa International Film Awards whilst All Creatures Great and Small took home the Stress Buster Award at the Radio Times’ Screen Test Awards.   

About Gaumont UK  

Gaumont UK was launched to produce exceptional original British drama for the global market.  Led by executive producer and President Alison Jackson (Locked In, Obsession, For Her Sins), Gaumont UK have projects in development with all major platforms and broadcasters including BBC, Sky, Apple, Netflix and Paramount+. Gaumont proudly embraces its eclecticism, inspiring film and series lovers across generations. Specializing in producing local stories with global appeal, Gaumont’s current slate includes talent-driven, diverse, and distinctive titles (films, series, animation) across multiple languages for cinemas and the world’s leading global streaming platforms and channels. Most recently, Gaumont UK have released Locked In, a psychological thriller for Netflix starring Famke Janssen, Rose Williams and Anna Friel, completed Obsession, a four-part thriller for Netflix starring Richard Armitage, Charlie Murphy and Indira Varma, co-produced with Moonage Pictures as well as four-part thriller for Channel 5, For Her Sins.   

About Gaumont 

Founded in 1895, Gaumont celebrates nearly 130 years of history and innovation. With offices in Paris, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Köln, and Rome, Gaumont remains an industry leader, producing and distributing high-quality TV programming and films.  The Gaumont library encompasses over 1,500 iconic titles, including Lupin, Narcos, Barbarians, Untouchable, Monsieur Gangster, The Fifth Element, Stillwater, Lost Illusions and 8½.    

Website : www.gaumont.com    

About Banijay Rights 

Leading global distributor, Banijay Rights, represents a world-class, multi-genre portfolio of 180,000 hours of standout programming. Handling the distribution for media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, the division specialises in the exploitation of premium scripted and non-scripted brands to broadcasters worldwide.   Representing quality, excellence and experience in the business of linear and non-linear television and ancillary activity across all platforms, Banijay Rights’ catalogue encompasses a host of top titles from Banijay’s 130+ in-house labels, and a number of third-party producers, spanning drama, comedy, entertainment, factual, reality, family, formats and theatrical.   Delivering high-quality IP, which was born locally and travels globally, the distributor offers the best stories told the best way. Its landmark brands include Survivor, Big Brother, MasterChef, Peaky Blinders, Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Temptation Island, Grantchester, Deal or No Deal, Biggest Loser, Home and Away, Love Triangle, Mr Bean and Black Mirror.   

Built on independence, creative freedom, entrepreneurialism and commercial acumen, Banijay Rights operates under the direction of Chief Executive Officer, Cathy Payne.