Vigil star Dougray Scott has been confirmed for a "gripping" new BBC drama titled Crookhaven.
The actor will lead the cast of the upcoming eight-part series as Caspian Lockett, the headmaster and leader of the secretive Crookhaven, a school for crooks where students are "trained to perfect their unusual skills to bring balance, justice and order to the outside world".
Industry's Claire Forlani will play his wife Carmen, while FBI International's Lucas Leach has been cast as Gabriel Avery, a 13-year-old pickpocket who is invited to the school after he's caught stealing.
Marcella's Keith Allen and Slow Horses actor Naomi Wirthner will also star in the series, alongside "an exciting ensemble of talent who play the high achieving, hand-picked Crookhaven students".
This includes Amari Bacchus, Leila Khan, Sani Thabo, Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, Aerona Shi, Charlie Mann, and Rowan McIntosh, Ti Barbosa and Anna-Sophia Eden.
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Rounding out the cast are Carmel Laniado, Genesis Lynea, Alex Mugnaioni, Miltos Yerolemou and Imran Yusuf.
Crookhaven is based on the hit book series by JJ Arcanjo, with Justin Young – known for his work on Ripper Street, Sanditon, and Death in Paradise – adapting it for the screen.
Filming is already under way in Northern Ireland, with Crookhaven set to premiere on BBC iPlayer in early 2026.
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On his casting as Caspian Lockett, Scott said: "I am thrilled to get started on this fantastic family drama. I am really looking forward to working with all of the extremely talented people on this production and bringing this role to life."
Young added: "From the moment my daughters and I read the first Crookhaven book, I knew it had the potential to be a thrilling, timeless series for the whole family.
"Bringing the Crookhaven world to life has been a glorious adventure, and it’s both an honour and a thrill to be working with such an extraordinarily talented cast and crew — truly a dream mix of industry legends and dazzling new faces."
Crookhaven will premiere on BBC iPlayer in early 2026.
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Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
