Emmerdale and Shetland favourites among stars confirmed for “thrilling adaptation” of Graham Norton novel

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Channel 5 has ordered a television adaptation of Graham Norton’s 2022 novel, Forever Home, and the actors who will star in it have been announced.

Clara Salaman, known for her work on “Too Close,” is writing the screenplay for the adaptation of the novel. The cast includes Amy Nuttall (from “The Feud”), Douglas Henshall (“Shetland”), Denise Welch (“Waterloo Road”), Kevin Whately (“Lewis”), Samantha Bond (“The Marlow Murder Club”), Lewis Cope (“Emmerdale”), Jenny Walser (“Heartstopper”), Shane Zaza (“Big Boys”), and James Baxter (“Alma’s Not Normal”).

This six-episode series tells the story of a woman navigating life as a second wife, while also grappling with the lingering presence and memories of her husband’s first wife.

Okay, so I just read the synopsis for this new thriller, and it’s a real hook! Apparently, a woman named Carol finds a decades-old body in her basement, and the chilling truth dawns on her: she’s sharing her home with a murderer. Talk about a nightmare scenario – definitely sounds like a movie I’d check out!

In a recent statement, author Norton explained that the idea for her novel, Forever Home, began with the thought of downsizing later in life and the challenges that can arise in long-term relationships. The story quickly became a humorous and surprising ‘dark comedy’ with many farcical moments, and Norton is thrilled to see Carol’s complex story adapted into a screenplay.

Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor at Channel 5, expressed excitement about collaborating with FilmNation and The Mediapro Studio to adapt Graham Norton’s novel for UK television, highlighting the strength of the cast involved.

We were thrilled to partner with North East Screen once more to support filming in the area, and we’re excited for audiences to enjoy watching Forever Home.

The series will air on 5 in 2026, although no release date has yet been confirmed.

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Norton has published five novels, including ‘Forever Home,’ which is her fourth book. Her other novels are titled ‘Holding,’ ‘A Keeper,’ ‘Home Stretch,’ and ‘Frankie’.

The story was first adapted into a TV series for ITV in 2022, featuring Conleth Hill, Siobhán McSweeney, and Charlene McKenna in leading roles.

Forever Home will air on 5.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a major international TV production company. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre Studies, and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-01-15 18:04