FIRST LOOKS FROM THE NEW CHANNEL 5 MYSTERY DRAMA

The Wives is a six-part mystery drama that follows the dismantling of a family in a summer that changes their lives. Last year, four sisters-in-law and their families fled to their Maltese holiday apartments, as they have done every summer for the past 15 years.

Sylvie Morgan, played by Tamzin Outhwaite (The Tower, Ridley Road, New Tricks), was happily married, Natasha Morgan, played by Angela Griffin (White Lines, The Serial Killers Wife, Waterloo Road), was living in luxury and Beth Morgan, played by Jo Joyner (For Her Sins, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Stay Close), and Annabelle Morgan, played by Christine Bottomley (Sherwood 2, Back to Life, End of the F***ing World), were best friends.

But this year, when they reunite, everything is different. Sylvie’s now single and loving, Natasha is hiding a desperate financial situation, Beth is barely holding her life together and Annabelle is, well… dead.

When Annabelle’s widower Charlie, played by Jamie Bamber (Strike Back, Cannes Confidential, Battlestar Galactica), arrives with a new wife in tow, Beth tries to be happy for them, but something’s not right. Charlie’s new girlfriend, Jade, played by Katie Clarkson-Hill (Trust Me, Grace, Hanna), looks exactly like Annabelle.

Beth’s plans for a great summer are quickly derailed by Charlie’s strange behavior, and her suspicions that there’s more to Annabelle’s death are heightened. As lies are exposed and evidence is collected, the women work together—and against each other—to unravel the mystery and bring the perpetrator to justice. But with corrupt officials, drug cartels, and career criminals closer to home than ever expected, have they bitten off more than they can handle?

The other actors announced are Ben Willbond (Ghosts, There She Goes, Good Omens), as eldest brother Morgan and Beth’s husband Frankie Morgan, Jonathan Forbes (Catastrophe, Fearless, Dublin Murders) plays Natasha’s loving husband Sean Morgan.

Plus Catriona Chandler (The Rivals, Enola Holmes 2, Pistol) as Annabelle and Charlie’s daughter Sky Morgan, Louis Boyer (Shadow and Bone, Wreck, The Ledge) as charming local businessman Luca Vella and Ajay Chhabra (Phoenix Rise, This England, Rough Diamonds) as consulate employee Vinay Taneja.

Speaking about filming the new series, Jo Joyner said: “I am so excited to be working with Gaumont and in Malta again on The Wives, a suspenseful thriller with a female lead. I have come to love Malta and its warm and welcoming people, combined with working with this wonderful cast, not least Angela Griffin and Tamzin Outhwaite, this is going to be a fantastic piece. I can’t wait to get started.”

Angela Griffin says: “What a dream to work on The Wives. With Tamzin Outhwaite and Jo Joyner on screen, and Helen Black, Claire Tailyour and Paulette Randall as part of the creative force, the incredible female presence in front of and behind the camera was a huge draw…

“The scripts are full of warmth, female friendship, humour, with a huge whodunnit in the middle… And on top of that, it’s set in Malta. I feel really lucky to be part of this project and to play Natasha, who has a secret that she’s desperately trying to hide.”

Tamzin Outhwaite added: “I’m thrilled to be playing Sylvie alongside the rest of this brilliant cast! The Wives is set to be packed with plenty of drama and even more of Malta’s beautiful scenery. I can’t wait for Channel 5 audiences to be swept away on the adventure.”

The Wives is a gripping drama full of guilty pleasures and is coming soon to Channel 5.