Yellowstone star Kelly Reilly will star in a new Sky Original series created by Claire Oakley.
The six-part show, titled “Under Salt Marsh,” is described as a “gripping crime thriller” and is set in the fictional Welsh town of Morfa Halen, a place between high mountains and the rapidly approaching sea.
Reilly will play detective turned teacher Jackie Ellis.
Oakley (Make Up) is co-writer, executive producer and lead director of the show, which is produced by Little Door Productions in association with Sky Studios. Jonathan Harbottle and Nikita Lalwani are co-writers, while Mary Nighy is directing the third and fourth episodes.
“As a once-in-a-generation storm brews far out at sea, former detective turned teacher Jackie Ellis discovers the apparent drowned body of her 8-year-old student, Cefin,” the logline reads. “The discovery sends shockwaves through the community and resurrects the ghost of an unsolved case that rocked the town three years earlier – the career-destroying disappearance of Jackie’s niece, Nessa.”
“Cefin’s death leads Jackie’s former partner, Detective Eric Bull, to return to Morfa Halen to lead the investigation in a community he has already failed once. Jackie and Bull are convinced that the cases are connected. They must reconcile and try to uncover long-hidden secrets in Morfa before the storm breaks and all evidence is lost forever.”
Filming on the show will begin later this year.
“‘Under Salt Marsh’ is a crime thriller set in a community that is deeply connected to its environment and intertwined with the grief, fears, dreams and secrets of its people,” Oakley said. “At the heart of it is Jackie, a character who embodies the wildness of the place we are portraying. She is free-spirited, compassionate and determined, with an iron resolve that makes her a true landsman. We are absolutely thrilled to have Kelly Reilly bring Jackie to life.”
Scott Bassett is producing the series while joining Oakley; executive producers are Elwen Rowlands for Little Door Productions and Megan Spanjian for Sky Studios.
Rowlands, CEO of Little Door, added: “It has been a pleasure developing this series with the inspirational Claire Oakley. The arrival of Sky Studios has given the show a perfect home and now we have the hugely talented Kelly Reilly in the lead role – we couldn’t be happier.”
Meghan Lyvers, Executive Director of Original Scripted at Sky Studios UK and Ireland, said: “‘Under Salt Marsh’ is a uniquely powerful drama that we at Sky Studios are incredibly proud to support. Claire Oakley is an exceptional creative talent who has created a deeply emotional and universal story that explores themes of loss, resilience and community, while pushing the boundaries of the crime genre.”
Kelly Reilly is repped by CAA and Anonymous Content. Claire Oakley is repped by Lark and UTA.
“Under Salt Marsh” will be available on Sky and the streamer Now in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution is representing international distribution.
