The Red King (TV series)
A detective investigates a boy's death on a pagan cult island.
The Red King is a six-part British crime drama that first aired on Alibi in 2024, running from late April to late May. Toby Whithouse created and wrote the series, with Daniel O'Hara and Lisa Clarke directing. The story follows Grace Narayan, a detective sergeant played by Anjli Mohindra, who is sent to the fictional Welsh island of St Jory to look into the death of a young boy.
Grace arrives on St Jory after reporting fellow officers for assaulting an alleged rapist. She replaces the previous sergeant, Gruffudd, and works with local police constable Owen to investigate the disappearance of a boy named Cai. The island is home to the True Way, a pagan cult founded by the Nancarrow family about a century ago. Locals insist the cult is defunct, though they still hold festivals for tourists. Grace faces resistance from most residents as she uncovers secrets and suspects the cult's involvement.
The cast includes Anjli Mohindra, Adjoa Andoh as Nancarrow descendant Heather, Marc Warren as Cai's father Ian, and Jill Halfpenny as homicide investigator Ann Fletcher. Other characters include former sergeant Gruffudd (Mark Lewis Jones), pub owner Lowri (Lu Corfield), her daughter Winter (Maeve Courtier-Lilley), and various islanders such as a priest, a farmer, and a conspiracy theorist.
Filming took place in Northumberland, not on the Welsh coast, with locations including Embleton, Craster, Alnmouth, and Cambois. Production began by June 2023. The series was produced by Guy Hescott, with executive producers including Nicola Shindler, Davina Earl, Philippa Collie Cousins, Whithouse, and O'Hara. The Morris dancers seen on screen came from the Black Gate Morris group.
Reviews were positive. *The Guardian* gave it four stars, comparing it favorably to *The Wicker Man* and praising its "entertaining topspin" and "buckets of sarcasm." *The Times* highlighted the "dry, dark wit" of Whithouse's script and the "high pedigree" cast. *The Daily Telegraph* also awarded four stars, commending Mohindra's performance for "hitting just the right note."
- Genre
- Crime drama
- Episodes
- 6
- Network
- Alibi
- Original run
- 24 April to 29 May 2024
- Creator
- Toby Whithouse
- Setting
- Fictional island of St Jory, off the Welsh coast
Lore & Background
The Red King follows Grace Narayan, a detective sergeant who is posted to the small Welsh island of St Jory after informing on fellow police officers for assaulting an alleged rapist. She begins investigating the disappearance of a local boy named Cai. The island is home to the True Way, a pagan cult established about 100 years ago by the Nancarrow family. Locals claim it no longer exists but celebrate festivals for the tourist trade. Grace and police constable Owen investigate the murder despite lack of cooperation from most residents.
Key characters include former sergeant Gruffudd, pub owner Lowri, her daughter Winter, Cai's father Ian, and Nancarrow descendant Heather. The cast also includes Mark Lewis Jones, Lu Corfield, Maeve Courtier-Lilley, Marc Warren, and Adjoa Andoh. The series was filmed in Northumberland, with locations including Embleton, Craster, Alnmouth, and Cambois. Filming had begun by 19 June 2023.
Reader's Guide
The Red King is significant as a British crime drama that draws comparisons to The Wicker Man, blending pagan cult themes with a police procedural. The Guardian gave it four out of five stars, noting its 'entertaining topspin' and 'buckets of sarcasm and self-reflexiveness.' Carol Midgley in The Times praised the 'dry, dark wit' of Whithouse’s script and the 'high pedigree' cast. Keith Watson in The Daily Telegraph also awarded four stars and praised Mohindra's performance. The series aired on Alibi, a UKTV channel, and was produced by Quay Street Productions. Its legacy lies in its atmospheric setting and twist-filled narrative, though it remains a single-season series with no announced continuation.
Did You Know?
- The series was filmed in Northumberland, not Wales, with locations including Embleton, Craster, Alnmouth, and Cambois.
- The Morris dancers featured in the series were from Black Gate Morris.
- The Red King was created and written by Toby Whithouse, who also served as an executive producer.
- The fictional island of St Jory is home to a pagan cult called the True Way, established about 100 years ago by the Nancarrow family.
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