Lesley Sharp to lead Channel 4 adaptation of Swedish crime thriller Before We Die

The Scott & Bailey actress will star in the Bristol-set series alongside Vincent Regan (300) and Patrick Gibson (Netflix’s The OA).

Before We Die will follow detective Hannah Laing (Sharp) as she discovers her son Christian (Gibson) is acting as an undercover informant in a brutal murder investigation. Croatian actor Toni Gojanović will star as Davor Mimica, head of a criminal gang, while Regan plays non-conformist investigator Billy Murdoch.

Speaking about the commission, Channel 4 head of drama Caroline Hollick said: “Every episode of Before We Die is a rollercoaster of excitement – and I’m so delighted to have Lesley Sharp bring her trademark gravitas and charisma to Channel 4.”

Jo McGrath, Executive Producer and CCO of Eagle Eye Drama – the production company behind the show – added: “Before We Die is a powerful and original series which uses the grammar and architecture of a nail-biting crime thriller to tell the compelling emotional story of a mother and son’s dysfunctional relationship, beautifully juxtaposed against the close-knit ties of the crime family they are trying to bring to justice.

“Before We Die stands out as truly distinctive crime drama and I can think of no better actress than Lesley Sharp to bring this complex lead character to life.”

The series will be penned by Matt Baker (the fledgeling TV writer, not the Countryfile favourite) and directed by The Last Kingdom’s Jan Matthys. Filming is scheduled to commence later this year.

The Swedish of Before We Die (Innan vi dör) is available to watch on All 4 now. Starting in 2017, the show currently has two seasons under its belt. The series was critically acclaimed, picking up several Swedish TV awards.

The Swedish version of Before We Die is available to watch on All4 now. Find out what else to watch with our TV Guide.