London, UK; February 11, 2021 – The leading streaming service for television from Britain and beyond, AMC Networks’ Acorn TV is renewing one of its most popular mystery series, AGATHA RAISIN, for a fourth series with three feature-length episodes and a winter special. For Series 4, Free@Last TV’s Barry Ryan and David Walton will continue to produce the series for Acorn TV with Catherine Mackin from Acorn Media Enterprises (AME), the UK-based development division for Acorn TV, and Michele Buck from Company Pictures (an all3media company) as executive producers; and produced in association with all3media international. The series will be co-produced by Charles Palmer and Mick Panteleo and Ian Strachan returns as line producer. Acorn Media International will distribute in most English-speaking territories and international distributor all3media international will distribute in the rest of the world, including the U.K. and Australia.
Starring Emmy®-nominated actress Ashley Jensen (Catastrophe, Extras, Ugly Betty) and based on M.C. Beaton’s best-selling novels, the comic mystery series follows the former high-powered London PR guru, who retired early to a small, picturesque village in the Cotswolds and found a second calling as a sassy private investigator. She often resorts to unorthodox and amusing methods to help solve crimes in her deceptively devious village.
Series 4 will start production in March. Like Series 3, Series 4 will adapt four novels and will be available as eight by 45-minute episodes or four by 90-minute television movies. The novels to be adapted are Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye, Agatha Raisin: Love, Lies & Liquor, Agatha Raisin & the Spoonful of Poison, and Agatha Raisin: There Goes the Bride. The Acorn TV Original series will debut the new episodes in late 2021/early 2022.
Star Ashley Jensen said, “I am overjoyed to be returning as Agatha Raisin. A role I love playing and a show that is very close to my heart. I am excited to see what’s in store for Agatha and her merry band of misfits in Series 4.”’
Catherine Mackin, Managing Director, Acorn Media Enterprises, said, “Acorn TV is thrilled to return to the beautiful Cotswolds with our Agatha Raisin family, including our wonderful ensemble cast led by Ashley Jensen and our partners at Free@Last TV, Company Pictures and all3media. With the incredible source material of M. C. Beaton’s highly enjoyable novels, Agatha Raisin continues to be one of the most fun mystery series available and the most requested by our subscribers, so we’re excited to produce several new episodes.”
Barry Ryan, Executive Producer and Creative Director of Free@Last TV noted, “It’s impossible to say how proud we are of our Agatha Raisin family and grateful that our show is going to a fourth series on Acorn TV. Agatha Raisin has plenty more stories to tell. We know that we are lucky to be able to tell them. Its particularly poignant as we remember the creator M.C. Beaton and know that she would be overjoyed as well’.
Besides Ashley Jensen as Agatha Raisin, Series 4 will feature returning favorites Mathew Horne (Gavin & Stacey) as Roy Silver, Jamie Glover (Waterloo Road) as James Lacey, Jason Merrells (Safe House) as Sir Charles Fraith, Lucy Liemann (Rev) as Sarah Bloxby, Matt McCooey as Bill Wong, Jason Barnett (Bridgerton) as Inspector Wilkes, and Marcia Warren as Mrs. Boggle.
Acorn TV premiered the pilot movie Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death and its follow-up eight-episode first season in August 2016. With the new Series 4 episodes, Acorn TV and Free@Last TV will have adapted 20 of M.C. Beaton novels.
Agatha Raisin Series 4 Mysteries:
- “Kissing Christmas Goodbye” – With business booming for Agatha Raisin Detective Agency, Agatha’s in need of a well-earned break and with Christmas just around the corner it looks like the perfect opportunity to relax. However, when she receives a letter from an old lady begging for protection, Agatha can’t help but spring into action.
- “Love, Lies and Liquor” – James has finally returned to Carsely and promised to whisk Agatha away on holiday where she can help him write his next novel. Agatha’s dreams of the French Riviera quickly fade when she finds herself in Snoth-on-Sea, a seaside resort whose glory days are far behind it. When a hotel guest is found murdered, it’s up to Agatha to prove who the killer is.
- “A Spoonful of Poison” – The competition to be crowned winner of the Carsely Jam-Off has always been fierce, but when the prize jam is poisoned leading to the death of a judge, things may finally have gone a step too far. Determined to bring the killer to justice, Agatha resolves to restore the competition’s name.
- “There Goes The Bride” – Agatha reluctantly promises to support James by attending his wedding. However, when a body is found during the morning of the big day, it’s up to Agatha and the gang to come to the rescue.
Called a “glorious streaming service… an essential must-have” (The Hollywood Reporter) and “Netflix for the Anglophile” (NPR), AMC Networks’ Acorn TV is the leading streaming service specializing in British and international television with subscribers worldwide in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Spain, Portugal, among other areas. In 2021, Acorn TV features several commissioned series including the second season of lighthearted Miss Fisher spinoff Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, British crime drama Whitstable Pearl, Kiwi romantic series Under the Vines and contemporary British detective series Dalgleish starring Bertie Carvel, as well as Irish crime thriller Bloodlands starring James Nesbitt and co-executive produced by Jed Mercurio, the return of New Zealand detective series My Life Is Murder starring Lucy Lawless, and a growing catalog of popular bingeable dramas that include A Place to Call Home, Detectorists, Jack Irish and Foyle’s War. Recent Acorn TV Original series include Deadwater Fell starring David Tennant highly-rated BBC One drama The Nest; and groundbreaking BBC One period drama A Suitable Boy from Mira Nair.
Acorn Media Enterprises is Acorn TV’s UK-based development arm which works with producers, distributors, writers and broadcasters in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and beyond to commission, co-produce and co-finance the best international, English-language scripted shows. AME has commissioned Agatha Raisin Series 2 and 3, Queens of Mystery, London Kills Series 1 and 2, as well as The Sounds, Dead Still, The South Westerlies, Keeping Faith, among several other productions.
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Hi-res images from past seasons:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dnc0pz24khf5v31/AAClsDJZStihdki9TkujwzcVa?dl=0
About AMC Networks
AMC Networks is a global entertainment company known for its popular and critically acclaimed content. Its portfolio of brands includes AMC, BBC AMERICA (operated through a joint venture with BBC Studios), IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv, IFC Films, and a number of fast-growing streaming services, including the AMC+ premium streaming bundle, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now and ALLBLK (formerly branded “UMC”). AMC Studios, the Company’s in-house studio, production and distribution operation, is behind award-winning owned series and franchises, including The Walking Dead, the highest-rated series in cable history. The Company also operates AMC Networks International, its international programming business, and Levity Entertainment Group, its production services and comedy venues business.