Graham Norton’s debut novel Holding is being adapted for the small screen.
Game Of Thrones star Conleth Hill, known for playing the scheming Lord Varys, will star in the darkly comic four-part series set in a remote village in West Cork, Ireland.
He will play local police officer Sergeant PJ Collins, a gentle but towering man who hides from residents and fills his days with comfort food and half-hearted police work.
When the body of local man Tommy Burke is discovered, he is tasked with solving the first serious crime of his career.
Comedian, actress and writer Kathy Burke has signed up to direct the series, which is adapted by Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Karen Cogan.
Norton said: “I am beyond excited to see the story and characters I created being brought to the screen. I love how the brilliant creative team have transformed my novel into something so rich and dramatic. West Cork is ready for its close-up.”
Burke said: “2021 is my 40th year working in the industry and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than directing Holding.
“It’s a beautiful piece of writing with a great story and fantastic, full-bodied characters. All this with glorious West Cork as its setting proved irresistible.”
Hill said: “I’m looking forward to getting to work with Kathy, the cast and crew, Dominic and everyone at Happy Prince on bringing Graham’s brilliant characters and story to the screen.”
Published in 2016, Holding is chat show host Norton’s first full-length foray into fiction and was named popular fiction book of the year in the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards.
Holding is produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, and Martina Niland for Port Pictures, in association with Screen Ireland.
It will be filmed in Ireland in summer with details of further casting released closer to the start of production.
