Fearless: First look at Helen McCrory playing Emma Banville in new ITV thriller

The Peaky Blinders matriarch stars as a human rights lawyer in the new series
Fearless: Helen McCrory as Emma Banville in new ITV thriller
ITV

Helen McCrory gets to grips with another complex character in ITV’s brand new drama, Fearless.

The first official pictures show the actress in the lead role as Emma Banville, a human rights lawyer who has built a reputation for defending lost causes.

In the new thriller, Banville sets out to prove the innocence of convicted murderer Kevin Russell, who maintains he didn’t kill schoolgirl Linda Sims 14 years earlier.

Convinced that Russell has been wronged, the lawyer begins to search for the truth about Linda’s death.

As she learns more about the case, she uncovers involvement from powerful figures in the police and intelligence services who try to hinder her investigation.

“When l was at drama school l was inspired by Prime Suspect, watching as Britain led the way in creating strong female characters to lead their dramas” said McCrory of the new show.

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She added: “l'm thrilled to be leading ITV's new drama - it’s a thriller that starts deceptively small, then begins crossing borders to different cultures and continents.”

The six-part series is produced by Mammoth Screen, the makers of Poldark and Downton Abbey who will also be creating the BBC’s new War of the Worlds drama next year.

Writer Patrick Harbinson shared his vision for the main role, saying: “I wanted to create a character who fights for those outside the normal run of society, and who is uncompromising, difficult, and completely indifferent to unpopularity and danger.”

Alongside McCrory, the series will star Michael Gambon, best-known for playing Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, Jessica Jones’ Robin Weigert and Jonathan Forbes from Catastrophe.

Fearless airs on ITV later this year.

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