About Law and Order UK
Wednesdays at 10.55pm
Law And Order UK:
In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The police who investigate crime, and the Crown Prosecutors (CPS) who prosecute the offenders Law & Order: UK shows their stories.
Based on Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf's groundbreaking US format, TV ONE's new drama series Law & Order: UK has a critically acclaimed cast.
Bradley Walsh (Torn and Coronation Street) is DS Ronnie Brooks,
a real East End 'copper's copper', friend and partner to the
charming DS Matt Devlin, (Jamie Bamber, Ultimate Force) whose
approach to policing is part seduction, part force. Both report to
DI Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter, Sense And Sensibility) a
working mum who would back them to the end.
The CPS team comprises Ben Daniels (The State Within) as dedicated
Senior Crown Prosecutor James Steel, a man on a mission for
justice; Freema Agyeman (Dr Who) as hard working, strong-willed
young prosecutor Alesha Phillips; and Bill Paterson (Criminal
Justice) as their respected boss CPS director George Castle, a man
trying to balance his ideals with the bigger picture.
Creator Dick Wolf says it has always been his dream to be able to produce a foreign version of the successful Law & Order brand. "The [UK] creative team has done a spectacular job of bringing my vision to life."
Lead writer Chris Chibnall was charged with the task of finding the right stories for adaptation. He explains: "I was looking for stories that I connected with emotionally, that had great opportunities for characterisation, and that felt relevant to Britain today. Dick Wolf sent over a list of his favourite episodes and I watched all of seasons one to six, plus a number of episodes from seasons seven, eight and nine. It's a very addictive show, so it's great to be getting paid to sit and watch them."
Talking of the difficulties in adapting a US series for a British version, Chibnall says: "We are vigilant about being faithful to the Law & Order format, while also making sure that it feels fresh, modern and British as well. The stories have got to stand up strong in their own right, so you're constantly making sure that the characters are interesting and original and are rooted in this country. There is always a balancing act between making sure the stories are authentic from a legal perspective, but also that they are dramatic. We sometimes had the issue of legal procedure which is different between the two countries."
He says the US series has a history of attracting extraordinary talent for guest parts, and UK version worked hard to carry on that tradition. Guests stars across the series include: Dervla Kirwan; Holly Aird; Iain Glen; Lesley Manville; Patrick Malahide; Colin Salmon; Juliet Aubrey; Sean Pertwee; Frances Barber; Derek Riddell; and Keith Barron.
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