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BBC shares first-look trailer for The Serpent starring Jenna Coleman

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

From Good Housekeeping

Fans of Jenna Coleman (star of Victoria, The Cry and Doctor Who) will be pleased to hear she's leading the cast of new BBC crime drama The Serpent. Excitingly, we now know the drama will premiere on New Year's Day at 9pm.

Jenna will appear in the series along with Billy Howle (MotherFatherSon, Dunkirk, On Chesil Beach), Ellie Bamber (Les Misérables, Nocturnal Animals, The Falling) and Tahar Rahim as Charles Sobrhaj, one of the most elusive criminals of the 20th century.

BBC One has shared a first-look trailer to give you a taste of the drama:

Jenna will play Marie-Andrée Leclerc, Sobhraj’s partner and frequent accomplice, with Billy Howle and Ellie Bamber cast as Herman and Angela Knippenberg.

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

The Serpent: What's it about?

"Charles Sobhraj (Rahim) was the chief suspect in the unsolved murders of up to 20 young Western travellers across India, Thailand and Nepal’s ‘Hippie Trail’ in 1975 and 1976. Psychopath, con man, thief and master of disguise, having slipped repeatedly from the grasp of authorities worldwide, by 1976 serial killer Sobhraj was Interpol's most wanted man and had arrest warrants on three different continents," the BBC said.

"When Herman Knippenberg (Howle), a junior diplomat at the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok, unwittingly walks into Sobhraj’s intricate web of crime, he sets off an extraordinary chain of events that will see Knippenberg seek to bring Sobhraj to justice for his terrible crimes."

Jenna said of the show when she first joined the cast: “The Serpent intoxicated me into the dark seductive world of Charles Sobhraj. I’m so looking forward to delving into hippie trail depths and bringing to life this unfathomable real life story alongside Tahar, Billy, Ellie, Tom, Richard and the wonderful cast and production team for the BBC and Netflix.”

Billy Howle added: “When I heard about the story behind The Serpent, I couldn’t believe what I was reading. What an interesting role, in a fascinating story, with a brilliant team behind it - shooting in such a great part of the world, as well. I feel really fortunate to be a part of this project.”

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

The Serpent: When's it on TV?

The eight-part series will premiere on BBC One at 9pm on New Year's Day with all episodes on BBC iPlayer afterwards.


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