Fan-favourite Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators has started filming series five in Stratford-upon-Avon, with Jo Joyner, Mark Benton and Patrick Walshe McBride reprising their roles as Luella Shakespeare, Frank Hathaway and Sebastian Brudenell.
The new series, produced by BBC Studios Drama Productions in Birmingham, is a co-commission by BBC Content and UKTV, and will premiere exclusively on UKTV's specialist crime drama channel, Alibi next year before launching later on the BBC and iPlayer. Series one to four are available on BBC iPlayer.
The deal is part of the BBC's commitment to investment in the Midlands, which has seen drama commissions in the region continue such as the recently announced double commission for Father Brown series 12 and 13 with BBC Studios, and the acquisition of series one and two of Sister Boniface from BBC Studios.
Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators series four was the BBC's second biggest daytime series in 2022. Its average audience was 2.3million with nearly one fifth (0.4m) of its total audience coming from iPlayer and was the biggest commissioned daytime series on iPlayer in 2022.
Created by Paul Matthew Thompson and the late Jude Tindall, the series follows an unlikely pair of private investigators, hardboiled ex-cop Frank Hathaway (Benton), and warm-hearted ex-hairdresser Lu Shakespeare (Joyner), as they work the cobbled streets of Stratford-upon-Avon, solving thrilling cases and murders most foul.
Helen Munson, Commissioner for BBC Daytime comments, I'm delighted that Shakespeare and Hathaway are back! Expect more murder, more intrigue, and of course more comedy in series 5, as Lu and Frank once again solve crimes in beautiful Stratford Upon Avon.
"We're delighted to have this opportunity to treat Alibi viewers to the further adventures of this much-loved pairing on Alibi first."
Claire Hookway, Commissioning Executive, Drama, UKTV, says: "With its distinctive marriage of comedy, crime and mystery, we know Alibi viewers love Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators. We're delighted to have this opportunity to treat them to the further adventures of this much-loved pairing on Alibi first and can't wait to see Lu and Frank back on-screen with some new twisty and thrilling mysteries to solve.
Jo Joyner says: I'm so excited to be stepping back into Luella's bright and fluffy shoes! We have such loyal and brilliant fans who have been asking us daily if we'll ever be back, so it's wonderful to finally be able to say yes! I can't wait to see Lu, Frank and Sebastian cracking more countryside crimes whilst squabbling fondly in series 5.
Mark Benton says: Im so thrilled to be making the show again. The reaction was phenomenal and hopefully series five will be even better. I cant wait.
Patrick Walshe McBride says: "Im so excited to be back filming Shakespeare & Hathaway. We have so much fun making the show and we put a lot of love into it. I hope viewers will be interested to find out what the characters have been up to over the last couple of years, and will enjoy accompanying us in a new season of murder and merriment. Anyone for Earl Grey?"
Deborah Sathe, Creative Director for BBC Studios Drama Productions, says: BBC Studios, and the cast and crew of Shakespeare and Hathaway, are so excited to be returning to Stratford Upon Avon to film this hugely popular show. Viewers have let us know how much they have missed us so we hope they are as thrilled as we are! Frank And Lu haven't lain dormant and poor Sebastian has been overworked, but criminals of Stratford Upon Avon beware, our super sleuths are back!
Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators is produced by BBC Studios Drama Productions for the BBC and UKTV. Executive Producers are Neil Irvine for BBC Studios, Helen Munson and Rob Unsworth for the BBC and Claire Hookway, Commissioning Executive, Drama, for UKTV.
Erika Hossington is Series Producer and Lyn Washbrook is Script Producer. BBC Studios is handing international distribution.
-ENDS-
For further information yvette.dore@uktv.co.uk
About Alibi
Sky 109/826, Virgin 126/200, BT 312/382, TalkTalk 312, TV Player
On demand on Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk
Alibi is the only TV channel dedicated to crime drama, investigating the best selection from the genre and premiering hit series from around the world such as CSI: Vegas, So Help Me Todd, Dark Winds and Black Sands.
Alibi's offering of UKTV Original crime drama series give viewers guaranteed thrills, twists and turns through hit shows including Annika, starring Nicola Walker, Traces, starring Molly Windsor and Martin Compston and We Hunt Together, starring Eve Myles and Babou Ceesay. Sophie Rundle also leads the cast in Barcelona-set drama, The Diplomat, while Anjli Monindra, Marc Warren and Adjoa Andoh star in The Red King from writer Toby Whithouse.
Alibi is also home to fan favourites, Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Murdoch Mysteries and Hudson and Rex, and gives viewers another chance to catch hugely popular British crime dramas including Death in Paradise, Father Brown and Silent Witness.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY, Gold, Alibi and Eden - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to UK viewers through free streaming service U, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW, Freeview and Freesat; and to Irish viewers through Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel & content availability varies by platform. UKTV's content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Pluto TV and Virgin Media. UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity and is commit
Most recent headlines
01/01/2026
Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Announces 2026 Noel Schajris Scholarship The scholarship will cover tuition and housing for one Berklee College of Music stud...
01/01/2026
New year, new games, all with RTX 5080-powered cloud energy. GeForce NOW is kicking off 2026 by looking back at an unforgettable year of wins and wildly high fr...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
Fan-favourite Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators has started filming series five in Stratford-upon-Avon, with Jo Joyner, Mark Benton and Patrick Walshe McBride reprising their roles as Luella Shakespeare, Frank Hathaway and Sebastian Brudenell.
