A new drama featuring a woman vicar as an exorcist who gets caught up in spiritual warfare between the forces of Christianity and paganism has been commissioned by ITV.
Midwinter of the Spirit follows the success of the classy ITV drama Grantchester, based on a novel about a vicar sleuth written by James Runcie, son of the late Lord Runcie, a former Archbishop of Canterbury.
The three-partner supernatural series will be based on the novels of Phil Rickman and adapted by BAFTA winning screenwriter Stephen Volk.
Casting will start soon for the woman to play Merrily Watkins, who works in what is known in the Church of England as deliverance ministry. The work of these clergy is rarely publicised but every diocese has at least one licensed exorcist.
According to ITV, Merrily's knowledge of the paranormal underworld brings her to the notice of local police who need her advice in the investigation of a grisly murder. The murder comes after the vicar has already seen her philandering husband Sean killed in a car crash and and is facing the contempt of her teenage daughter Jane who rejects her mother's faith.
When a man is found murdered in a grisly crucifixion, Merrily becomes convinced that Satanists are operating in the city.
The drama will show an exorcism she is called to Hereford General Hospital to perform on an ill man known for cruelty to animals and abuse of women.
Midwinter of the Spirit will be produced by Phil Collinson, of Doctor Who, Coronation Street and Sea of Souls. Executive producer and ITV creative director Kieran Roberts said: "We're very excited to be working with Stephen Volk to bring Phil Rickman's gripping and chilling novel to the screen."
ITV's Director of Drama Commissioning Steve November said: "Midwinter of the Spirit is a contemporary and edgy drama which draws upon dark, pagan forces which are intriguing and spiritually frightening. We're delighted to commission three episodes of a potentially returnable crime drama with a supernatural twist."
Filming will begin in the Hereford area in April 2015.
