‘Nightswimming’: Lennie James Leading ITV Drama From Two Brothers

EXCLUSIVE: The Walking Dead star Lennie James is leading an ITV thriller about a man accused of brutally murdering his family years ago.

In Nightswimming, which comes from Fleabag and The Tourist creatives Harry and Jack Williams, James plays Matthew, returning to his home in Portugal where he was convicted.

Weaving between past and present, Nightswimming picks apart the events that led up to the devastating night when Matthew’s wife and two teenage sons were brutally attacked in their beachfront home while Matthew was performing his nightly ritual, swimming in the ocean. In the present, Matthew mounts his own investigation into the crime that tore his life apart, confronting old friends, revisiting broken relationships and interrogating the people who built the case against him.

Nightswimming comes from the Williams’ brothers, whose Banijay-backed indie Two Brothers Pictures has made Fleabag, The Tourist and, most recently, Prime Video’s upcoming Danger Money starring Ray Winstone.

Nightswimming is one of the first chunky roles for James since he won a BAFTA for leading the BBC’s acclaimed adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s Mr Loverman. James played Morgan Jones across several seasons of The Walking Dead and has also appeared in the likes of Mayor of Kingstown, Save Me and Line of Duty. His previous ITV show was 2009’s The Prisoner opposite Ian McKellen and Ruth Wilson, which was co-produced with AMC.

“I am very excited about getting going on Nightswimming,” said James. “It’s a juicy, grownup thriller about family, love, loss, betrayal, redemption and the price of justice. Matthew is the kind of character I love to play, full of complexity, contradiction and conviction. This is top notch storytelling, and I’m chuffed to be a part of it.”

Harry and Jack Williams added: “We absolutely relished writing Nightswimming, it’s a small-town thriller with a morally murky edge, grounded in a knotty, complex character. We can’t wait to work with ITV again and to see what Lennie – who we are thrilled to have on board – does with Matthew when we begin filming in Portugal next year.”

ITV’s Polly Hill will oversee production of the drama for the broadcaster, with the Williams’ executive producing alongside Daisy Mount, Sarah Hammond and James. Cleo Hetherington is co-exec producer whilst Georgina Lowe is producer and Kelly Valentine-Hendry is the casting director. Filming commences in Portugal in spring 2027. Banijay Rights is selling worldwide.