Ellis (TV series)

Ellis
GenreDetective series
Written byPaul Logue
Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producersCatherine Mackin
Bea Tammer
Michele Buck
Lucy Raffety
Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre
ProducerChris Martin
Running time92 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkChannel 5
Release31 October 2024 (2024-10-31) –
present

Ellis (also titled Inspector Ellis) is a British crime drama television series for Channel 5 starring Sharon D. Clarke as Detective Chief Inspector Ellis. It premiered in the United Kingdom on 31 October 2024 on Channel 5 with a three-part series and was renewed for a second series.

Premise

DCI Ellis and assistant DS Harper are sent to help failing police investigations at different local police stations.[1]

Cast

Main

Recurring

Episodic

Episode 1: Hanmore

Episode 2: Callorwell

  • Orla Charlton as Carla Duffy
  • Tim Dutton as DCI Hain
  • Jonathan Harden as Adam Reid
  • Stephanie Levi-John as Naomi McKeith
  • Paul Mallon as Tim Jones
  • Sam Marks as DI Jamie Morrison
  • Kirsten Foster as CSI Christine Bennett
  • Jenny Kavanagh as Jenny Rawler
  • Aoibheann McCann as DC Leah Thompson
  • Michael McCloskey-Ooi as Mark Reid
  • Fionn Ó Loingsigh as Curtis Keogh
  • William Travis as Sergeant Frank Landry

Episode 3: Brindleton

  • Josh Bolt as DS Archie Dent
  • Amanda Drew as DCI Cotton
  • Rina Mahoney as Lydia Green
  • Charlie De Melo as Leo Braxton
  • Michael Simkins as Gerry Rees-Mortimer
  • Charley Webb as Abbie Summerfield
  • Mark Field as Kane Harrison
  • Harry Marcus as Rory Summerfield
  • Tama Matheson as Oz Hoffman
  • Jade Matthew as Rachel Hoffman
  • Shanaya Rafaat as Soraya Mansoori
  • Richard Sherwood as Alex Scanlan
  • David Sterne as Foster Lang

Production

The series is written by Paul Logue and Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre and produced by Company Pictures.[4] The three-part series consisting of two-hour episodes is executive produced by Catherine Mackin, Bea Tammer, Michele Buck and Lucy Raffety. Chris Martin is series producer.[5]

Filming took place in Northern Ireland in the spring of 2024.[6] Filming locations included Dromore in County Down, Gracehill in County Antrim near Ballymena,[7][8]

The series was renewed for a second series with filming scheduled for June 2025.[9]

Broadcast

The series was broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK on 31 October 2024.[10]It was launched internationally shortly after on Acorn TV under the title 'Inspector Ellis'.[11]

The season launched with 'Hanmore' as the pilot and brought in 1.3 million viewers.[12]

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"Hanmore"Nick HurranSian Martin and Paul Logue31 October 2024 (2024-10-31)
22"Callorwell"Ryan TohillCreated by: Sian Martin, Paul Logue
Written by: Sian Martin, Jessica Ruston
7 November 2024 (2024-11-07)
33"Brindleton"Andy TohillCreated by: Sian Martin, Paul Logue
Written by: Maria Ward
14 November 2024 (2024-11-14)

Reception

Writing in the Radio Times, Morgan Cormack said the show was "really rather good" and far from the cosy-crime genre that some viewers may have expected, and that it had some "very topical, gritty subject matter that has some eerie real-world similarities". Cormack also states that “Ellis certainly isn't the first enigmatic detective to grace our screens” but felt that scriptwriter Ejiwunmi-Le Berre successfully created a character "that doesn't fall into the stereotypical tropes".[13]

References

  1. ^ Cormack, Morgan (14 February 2024). "Ellis release date speculation: Cast and latest news for Channel 5 detective drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Clarke, Nathan (31 October 2024). "Channel 5's Ellis - full cast, episodes, plot and filming locations". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Palmer, Katie (31 October 2024). "Meet the cast of Channel 5's Ellis from Outlander legends to Emmerdale star". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  4. ^ Warner, Sam (7 February 2024). "Holby City's Sharon D Clarke to lead Channel 5 detective series". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  5. ^ White, Peter (6 February 2024). "Sharon D Clarke To Star In Detective Drama Series 'Ellis' For Acorn TV & UK's Channel 5". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  6. ^ "New Channel 5 detective drama Ellis to begin filming in Northern Ireland". Belfast Live. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  7. ^ "County Down town a-stir as Channel 5 breezes in to film police drama 'Ellis'". Newsletter. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Gracehill looks the part as 'Hanmore' as latest TV detective drama series begins shooting". Loveballymena. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  9. ^ McPherson, Chris (13 May 2025). "British Mystery Series 'Inspector Ellis' Has Learned Its Fate After One Season". Collider. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  10. ^ Cremona, Patrick (16 October 2024). "Ellis confirms air date for Doctor Who and Outlander stars' detective drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Inspector Ellis". Acorn TV. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  12. ^ Kahn, Ellie (1 November 2024). "Ellis launches on C5 with 1.3m". Broadcast. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  13. ^ Cormack, Morgan (31 October 2024). "Ellis is the British detective drama that the genre has been crying out for". Radio Times. Retrieved 28 April 2025.