Dalziel and Pascoe will be gender-swapped and star Kerry Hodliman and Nina Singh, ITV confirms
ITV has confirmed it will be gender-swapping the leads of its Dalziel and Pascoe - with Kerry Godliman set to play Detective Inspector Andrea Dalziel and Nina Singh as Detective Sergeant Paige Pascoe.
The ITV reboot of Dalziel and Pascoe will flip the gender of its two leads.
Nearly 20 years after the BBC crime drama ended, the detective duo will return in a contemporary reimagining based on Reginald Hill’s novels, this time led by Kerry Godliman, 52, and Nina Singh, 30.
Godliman will take on the role of Detective Inspector Andrea Dalziel - a seasoned and instinctive officer who is not afraid to bend the rules - while Singh will play Detective Sergeant Paige Pascoe, her by-the-book and principled counterpart.
Speaking with the Daily Mirror newspaper, Godliman said: “I’m so chuffed to be playing the assertively charming DI Andrea Dalziel. It’s a juicy role as she’s such an interesting personality - accomplished at her job, warm, but also direct to the point of being abrasive. Weary and warm-hearted.
“Lots to get my teeth into as we reimagine Dalziel and Pascoe for a new audience.”
Singh, who previously appeared in Virdee, added: “It’s an absolute honour to be playing Pascoe to Kerry Godliman’s Dalziel.
“I find Kerry hilarious, so I know at times I’ll struggle not to be laughing. The writing team have incorporated humour so well into the scripts at the same time as keeping you constantly guessing what’ll happen next – in true Dalziel and Pascoe form.”
The original series, which ran from 1996 to 2007 and drew audiences of up to 10 million, starred Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan as the mismatched pair policing the fictional Yorkshire town of Wetherton.
ITV has described the six-part drama - which is being produced by BritBox and All3Media’s West Road Pictures - as a “contemporary reimagining” of the original show, with filming due to begin this spring.
Co-created by Colette Kane and Daisy Martey, the series will be directed by Isher Sahota.
Explaining the appeal of the reboot, ITV’s head of comedy Nana Hughes said in a statement: “Dalziel and Pascoe with a female-led cast is what caught our eye on this one. Kerry Godliman and Nina Singh will bring a fresh perspective to the series.”
In a separate statement, she said: “It’s a genuine privilege to bring Reginald Hill’s much-loved Dalziel and Pascoe back to the screen for a new audience.
“At the heart of this series is the enduring, unexpected chemistry between two very different detectives, and we’re excited to explore that new dynamic.”
