Rafe Spall, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Yang and Harry Lawtey join Kelly Reilly in ‘Under Salt Marsh’

Published: October 8, 2024 — Award-winning actor Rafe Spall (The English, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) stars opposite Kelly Reilly (Yellowstone, Here) in the gripping new Sky Original crime thriller ‘Under Salt Marsh’. Also joining the series are the award-winning Jonathan Pryce (The Crown, Slow Horses), Naomi Yang (Nightsleeper, Wolfe) and rising star Harry Lawtey (Industry, Joker Folie à Deux). The six-part limited event series, created and directed by Claire Oakley (Make Up) and produced by Little Door Productions in association with Sky Studios will be filmed entirely in Wales, with production having commenced this week.

Dinita Gohil (Sandman, Greed), Brian Gleeson (Bad Sisters, Phantom Thread), Kimberley Nixon (Fresh Meat, Life and Death in the Warehouse), Mark Stanley (Happy Valley, The Reckoning), Dino Fetscher (Fool Me Once, Foundation), Lizzie Annis (The Witcher: Blood Origin, Extraordinary), Rhodri Meilir (Pren Ar y Bryn/Tree On A Hill, Craith/Hidden), and Julian Lewis Jones (House of the Dragon, Wheel of Time) round off a star-studded cast.

Under Salt Marsh is a gripping crime thriller set in the fictional Welsh town of Morfa Halen, a tight-knit community precariously nestled between towering mountains and a fast-encroaching sea that threatens its very existence. As a once-in-a-generation storm begins to gather far out at sea, former detective turned teacher Jackie Ellis (Reilly) discovers the body of her 8-year-old pupil, Cefin, seemingly drowned. The discovery sends shockwaves through the community, reviving the ghost of an unsolved cold case that rocked the town three years prior – the disappearance of Jackie’s niece, Nessa, which cost her career.

Cefin’s death summons Jackie’s former partner, Detective Eric Bull (Spall), back to Morfa Halen to lead the investigation into a community he failed once before. Convinced the cases are linked, Jackie and Bull must reconcile and race to uncover long-buried secrets inside Morfa, before the storm breaks and all the evidence is gone for good. An intimate and cinematic story, Under Salt Marsh takes audiences into the heart of a community bound by nature and fractured by an unthinkable crime. 

Elwen Rowlands, Executive Producer and CEO, Little Door, said; “We are incredibly fortunate to have such a talented cast bringing these characters to life. Claire’s compelling scripts tell a thrilling story of a community deeply connected with its environment, raw with emotion, and beautifully mirrored by the stunning backdrop of North Wales where the story unfolds.”

The production received support from the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.

Joedi Langley, Interim Head of Creative Wales, said; “We are really pleased that Wales will be the home for this production. This atmospheric thriller will showcase some of our stunning scenery and the diversity of filming locations on offer, whilst also creating several local employment opportunities for Welsh crew. Creative Wales support also helped to secure valuable trainee placements for people looking to develop their career in the creative industries.”

Under Salt Marsh is produced by Little Door Productions in association with Sky Studios. The series is written by Claire Oakley, Jonathan Harbottle and Nikita Lalwani. The lead director is Claire Oakley, with Mary Nighy directing Episodes 3 and 4. The series producer is Scott Bassett. Executive Producers are Elwen Rowlands for Little Door Productions, Megan Spanjian for Sky Studios, Claire Oakley, and Kelly Reilly.

Under Salt Marsh will be available on Sky and streaming service NOW in the UK and Ireland. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution will handle international sales of the series.