Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators has commenced filming for its fifth season in Stratford-upon-Avon. The popular drama sees Jo Joyner, Mark Benton, and Patrick Walshe McBride return as Luella Shakespeare, Frank Hathaway, and Sebastian Brudenell.
Produced by BBC Studios Drama Productions in Birmingham, the new series is co-commissioned by BBC Content and UKTV. It is set to premiere on UKTV’s crime-focused channel Alibi next year, followed by a release on BBC and iPlayer. Seasons one through four are currently available on BBC iPlayer.
This production forms part of the BBC’s broader investment in Midlands-based content, which also includes recent commissions like Father Brown seasons 12 and 13 and the acquisition of Sister Boniface. In 2022, Shakespeare & Hathaway was the BBC’s second-highest performing daytime series, averaging 2.3 million viewers. It also became the biggest commissioned daytime series on iPlayer that year, with a substantial share of its viewership coming from digital platforms.
Created by Paul Matthew Thompson and the late Jude Tindall, the show follows former cop Frank Hathaway and ex-hairdresser Lu Shakespeare as they tackle crime on the picturesque streets of Stratford-upon-Avon. The upcoming series is produced by BBC Studios, with Neil Irvine, Helen Munson, Rob Unsworth, and Claire Hookway serving as executive producers.
