Douglas Henshall fans, listen up! The Shetland actor is starring in a new adaptation of Graham Norton’s bestselling 2023 novel, Forever Home – and it looks seriously good.
The six-part drama, billed as a “darkly emotional story about marriage, family and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her children,” boasts a cast of familiar faces, including Downton Abbey’s Amy Nuttall and Waterloo Road’s Denise Welch.
A first look gives us an idea of what to expect, with Amy’s Carol Crottie pictured having a seemingly serious conversation with her mother Moira (Welch). Another photo shows the ensemble cast, including Douglas as Carol’s partner Robert Barrie, sitting around a dining table for sandwiches and cake.
It’s the second of Graham’s books to get the small-screen treatment, following ITV’s adaptation of his 2022 novel Holding, starring Game of Thrones‘ Conleth Hill. If Forever Home is half as gripping, viewers are in for a treat.
Find out more about the series below.
What happens in Forever Home?
The series follows Carol, the second wife of her older partner Robert. As Robert’s dementia progresses, Carol begins to question the whereabouts of his first wife, who apparently ran off with his brother 20 years prior.
The synopsis reads: “When her older partner Robert’s dementia worsens, Carol Crottie starts to wonder if the reason he won’t leave his home has something to do with the whereabouts of his first wife, who ran off with Robert’s brother 20 years ago, leaving behind their two young children Kaden and Sally.
“When Robert’s anxiety about the house’s hidden basement, rises, Carol’s curiosity is piqued as she and her mother investigate the whereabouts of Robert’s first wife, Joan. But the secrets Robert has kept will take a long time to untangle.”
Author and executive producer Graham Norton teased the drama as a “funny, twisted, ‘dark-romp’ full of farcical scenes”. “In writing Forever Home, I was initially inspired by the simple idea of packing up a home later in life, and the ‘what if’ scenarios and complexities that come with later-life relationships,” he previously said. “The novel soon evolved into a funny, twisted, ‘dark-romp’ full of farcical scenes and it’s wonderful to see the depth and richness of Carol’s story realized as a screenplay.”
Who stars in Forever Home?
Amy Nuttall (The Feud, Downton Abbey) leads the cast as Carol Crottie. She’s joined by Denise Welch (Tip Toe, Waterloo Road) as Carol’s mother Moira Crottie, Douglas Henshall (The Revenge Club, Shetland) as Robert Barrie and Lewis Cope (Emmerdale, Strictly Come Dancing) as Kaden Barrie.
Rounding out the main cast are Jenny Walser (Heartstopper, Sweetpea) as Sally Barrie, Shane Zaza (Invasion, Big Boys) as Daniel Evans and Kevin Whately (Inspector Morse, Lewis) as Silent Dave.
When will the series be released?
Forever Home is coming soon. 5 has yet to announce a release date.
