Witch Hunt: Sarah Lancashire plays woman convicted of killing her three children in 'utterly compelling' Netflix series
The Happy Valley legend makes this a must watch...
Witch Hunt is quite possibly the most exciting TV announcement we’ve heard all year, and it is single-handedly going to make the Netflix subscription worth every penny. Fact.
The streamer has just confirmed a brand new crime drama starring Sarah Lancashire. And, hallelujah, because the Happy Valley legend isn’t on TV nearly enough these days.
In 2024, Sarah played the mysterious Reed in the Netflix thriller Black Doves, which is coming back for a series 2 on Thursday, November 5. But that is the last time the always brilliant actress was on our screens.
If it sounds like we are gushing, we are. There’s a reason why the Lancashire actress, 61, has won three BAFTAs and been nominated for plenty more.
And Netflix’s Witch Hunt sounds like the perfect drama for her to play a possible villain. Here’s everything you need to know about the drama, including plot, cast, and start date.
What is Witch Hunt on Netflix?
Netflix has announced brand new drama Witch Hunt and it sounds, quite frankly, epic. Not a word we use lightly. Sarah Lancashire plays August Howell, a descendent of the so-called ‘Witch of Cambridge’. When she is released after three decades in prison for drowning her three young daughters, she comes home to a community who does not want her back. Understandable.
But when concern grows that her return has triggered “a modern day witch hunt in the university town”, the police must turn to August’s last surviving daughter…
Professor Wren Howell, an academic and investigative psychologist, must help find the real killer as past resentments and local folklore collide.
Who is in the cast?
Sarah Lancashire leads the cast as convicted child killer August Howell. And it’s a role she was born to play.
She said: “I’m thrilled to be working on Witch Hunt. It’s a brilliantly imagined and utterly compelling story, with a deeply complex character at its heart. There’s so much to explore in August, and I can’t wait to begin.”
Of course, TV viewers will know Sarah from her early days as barmaid Raquel in Coronation Street, to her iconic role as Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley.
She’s also known for her leading roles in Where the Heart Is, Last Tango in Halifax, Rose and Maloney, Lark Rise to Candleford, and Julia. We could watch Sarah Lancashire watching paint dry all day and all night long.
Other cast will be announcement in the coming months.
‘Witch Hunt on Netflix is gothic horror meets dark thriller’
Creator and writer Abi Morgan, famous for The Split, and The Hour said: “I am delighted to be bringing Witch Hunt to Netflix. A dark, yet emotionally charged love story between August Howell, newly released from prison for murdering her children, and the daughter she has left behind, after 30 years inside.
“I last worked with Sarah Lancashire over 25 years ago. I have been chasing the perfect role for her ever since. This is it. I can’t think of anyone better to embody the terrifying tenderness of the ‘Witch of Cambridge’. It’s gothic horror meets dark thriller laced with modern day witchcraft, raising the question can August ever be forgiven for her crime?”
Executive Producer Jane Featherstone added: “What I’ve always loved about Abi’s writing is the humanity she brings to even the darkest stories. Witch Hunt is a fascinating contemporary thriller, with three generations of women at its heart and all the wit and compassion that make her work so distinctive. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Sarah Lancashire over the past few years, and she still surprises me every time. She is extraordinary, and I’m thrilled she’ll be playing August.”
When is the start date?
Well, therein lies the rub. Sadly, Witch Hunt will not be released on Netflix until 2028.
But, we’ll bet our lives on it being worth the wait.
How many episodes is it?
Witch Hunt will be six episodes of an hour each.
That is six hours of pure witchy drama right there. Bring it on!
Read more: The 15 best BBC dramas to stream on BBC iPlayer right now
