Keeley Hawes will star as a detective attempting to bring a group of killers to justice in the wake of a so-called honor-killing in “Honour.” The two-part drama is based on the real-life case of Banaz Mahmod, a young Londoner murdered by her own family for falling in love with the wrong man.
It is the first project from Buddy Club Productions, the new production business set up by “Bodyguard” star Hawes. She will exec produce “Honour” and work on the new show as soon as she has wrapped on Netflix’s Daphne du Maurier adaptation “Rebecca,” in which she plays Beatrice Lacy. Buddy Club is teaming with U.K. indie Hera Pictures on the ITV show.
Written by Gwyneth Hughes (“Vanity Fair”), “Honour” will tell the story of Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Goode’s search to discover the fate of missing 20-year old Banaz.
“In a time where honour killings are still rife, it is critical to shine a light on such an important subject,” Hawes said. “Banaz Mahmod’s story, and DCI Goode’s subsequent investigation, is certainly one that needs to be told and I am proud to be a part of it.”
ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill commissioned the show. Richard Laxton (“Mrs. Wilson”) will direct both episodes. Hughes, Liza Marshall and Peter Kosminsky are executive producing alongside Hawes.
“Banaz Mahmod met her brutish death on the orders of her own father and uncle, which I find profoundly unsettling,” Hughes said. “That this story is ultimately so uplifting is down to the sheer heroism and dedication of the police officers who hunted down her killers.”
ITV Studios Global Entertainment is across distribution and will sell the series internationally. It secured the international deal with Netflix for “Bodyguard.”