Helen McCrory to star in new ITV political thriller

Helen McCrory is set to star in new ITV political drama Fearless.

Written by the writer of American political hit Homeland, Fearless is described as an “exciting, visceral political thriller”. It centres around Emma Blunt, who will be played by McCrory, a solicitor infamous for defending hopeless causes.

After a schoolgirl is killed in East Anglia, Blunt leaps to the aid of the man she believes was wrongfully convicted of her murder. However, as she investigates the case, she begins to realise all is not what it seems – and powerful political forces may want to keep the truth at bay.

Writer and executive producer Patrick Harbinson said: “Fearless is a legal thriller. But one that’s written in the crash zone where law and politics collide.”

“When, three years ago, Damien Timmer asked me if I was interested in writing a legal series inspired by the work of lawyers like Gareth Peirce and Helena Kennedy, I immediately said yes. Much of the work I’ve done in America in the last ten years (24, Person of Interest, Homeland) has been about life in the post 9/11 (and post 7/7) world.

“The so-called War on Terror has put serious stress on the ordinary workings of the law. National security justifies all sorts of police and state over-reach – and the great majority of us are prepared to accept this. So I wanted to create a character who challenges these assumptions, who fights for those outside the normal run of society, and who is uncompromising, difficult, and completely indifferent to unpopularity and danger. The result was Emma Blunt and Fearless…”