Sherlock's Mark Gatiss stars in first-look photos from the Alibi detective drama Bookish, revealed exclusively by Digital Spy.
The series' creator gets his chance to solve crimes in Bookish after previously playing The Great Detective's meddlesome brother Mycroft Holmes in the BBC's Sherlock series.
This new period drama casts Gatiss as the eccentric police consultant Gabriel Book, who solves seemingly impossible cases with his encyclopedic knowledge of the books in his antique bookshop.
Because of the intolerance of the post-war period, Book is in a 'lavender marriage' to his close friend, wallpaper shop owner Trottie (Bridgerton's Polly Walker), to hide his sexuality.
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These brand new photos offer the first look at Bookish's guest cast, including Daniel Mays (Line of Duty), Paul McGann (Doctor Who), Michael Workéyè (Black Mirror), and Joely Richardson (One Day).
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Other season one guest stars will be Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (The Queen's Gambit), Jonas Nay (The Tattooist of Auschwitz), and Luke Norris (Poldark).
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When the series was announced earlier this year, Gatiss teased: "To misquote Goodfellas: 'All my life I've wanted to be a detective!' I couldn't be more excited to be bringing this series to the screen, and to plunge viewers into our intoxicating version of post-War London.
"It's an under-examined time and an under-examined world and Bookish is the strange, funny and thrilling show that I've always wanted to make."
Gatiss has co-written Bookish, in addition to starring in the show, alongside journalist and cultural historian Matthew Sweet. The first season is told through three, two-part stories.
UKTV head of drama Helen Perry said of this new drama: "UKTV is the home for writers' passion projects, and we are so proud to be working with the exceptionally talented Mark Gatiss on his, along with the effervescent team at Eagle Eye.
"Mark's unique detective thriller is full of wit and heart, with a central platonic love story that is sure to enthral audiences.
"And because Book is a gay man, at a time when it was illegal to be so, we are proud that the drama shines a light on an important LGBTQ+ story. The star-studded cast Eagle Eye have already put together is tribute to the sure-fire hit Bookish is to become."
The six-part Bookish will be coming to Alibi in the UK next year. A US partner will be announced at a later date.
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
