Blue Murder (British TV series)

Did You Know?

• Blue Murder began as two 90-minute (advertisements included) episodes first shown in May 2003.
• Roy Mitchell contributed to the script for episode one, 'Steady Eddie'.
• Beginning with series two, the format changed from 90-minute episodes to 60-minute episodes.

Background

Blue Murder follows DCI Janine Lewis, a single mother of four, as she navigates the pressures of her high-stakes job and the demands of raising her children, all while dealing with her ex-husband, who has moved on to a new family. The show was the brainchild of novelist and radio playwright Cath Staincliffe, who brought the concept to ITV, leading to a two-part first series that premiered on 18 May 2003. Strong viewership prompted a second series of four episodes, which aired in 2004. Staincliffe served as the lead writer for the first two series, with John Fay, Jeff Povey, and Matthew Hall also penning scripts for the second. The fifth and final series debuted on 7 September 2009. The cast considered it the strongest season, with Quentin remarking that the show had "finally cracked it." This concluding series featured guest appearances from Mark Benton, Lee Boardman, Kieran O'Brien, Brendan Coyle, Heather Peace, Tina O'Brien, Sylvia Syms, and Anthony Flanagan.