Ella Purnell to Executive Produce and star in Sky Original drama Sweetpea, alongside Nicôle Lecky, Jon Pointing, Calam Lynch and Leah Harvey

In a deviously twisted coming-of-‘rage’ story, Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets, Fallout) stars as Rhiannon: a quiet wallflower on a darkly comedic and intoxicating journey of self-discovery, with deadly consequences.

Rhiannon Lewis doesn’t make much of an impression - people walk past her in the street without a second glance. She’s continually overlooked for a promotion at work, the guy she likes won’t commit, and her dad is really, really sick. So far, so shit. Then everything in her life turns upside down. Rhiannon is pushed over the edge, and loses control. Suddenly the wallflower is gone, and in its place is a young woman capable of anything… Rhiannon’s life transforms as she steps into a new, intoxicating power, but can she keep her killer secret?

Further casting alongside Purnell boasts an array of exciting British talent, including Nicôle Lecky (Mood, Sense8) as Julia, Jon Pointing (Big Boys, Smothered) as Craig, Calam Lynch (Bridgerton) as AJ, Leah Harvey (Foundation) as Marina. Also starring Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso) as Norman and Dustin Demri-Burns (Slow Horses) as Jeff.

The series is adapted from C.J. Skuse’s novel of the same name by writer and Executive Producer Kirstie Swain (Pure), and written by Kirstie Swain, and Krissie Ducker (Killing Eve), alongside Laura Jayne Tunbridge and Selina Lim (Sex Education, Hanna). The series will be directed by award-winning director Ella Jones (The Baby, Back To Life), who also serves as Executive Producer.

Sweetpea is produced by See-Saw Films and fanboy in association with Sky Studios. Commissioning Editor, Manpreet Dosanjh, is Executive Producer for Sky Studios. Executive Producers for See-Saw Films are Patrick Walters (Heartstopper), Helen Gregory, Iain Canning, and Emile Sherman. Kirstie Swain is an Executive Producer and writer, working alongside Krissie Ducker, Laura Jayne Tunbridge and Selina Lim (Sex Education, Hanna). Ella Purnell and Ella Jones also serve as Executive Producers. Co-Executive Producers are Krissie Ducker and Simon Gillis. Zorana Piggott (Heartstopper) is Series Producer.

Sweetpea is now in production in the UK and will be available on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in 2024 in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Germany. NBCUniversal Global Distribution handle international sales of the series on behalf of Sky Studios.

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About Sky

Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies and is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that connects people to moments and experiences that matter. At Sky we Believe in Better. It’s in our DNA.

We’re famous for innovation. We offer the world’s smartest TV, Sky Glass; our plug and play streaming puck, Sky Stream; the best aggregation platform, Sky Q: the best aggregation platform, Sky Q; and streaming services NOW and WOW. We provide connectivity you can count on in mobile, fast, secure, reliable residential and business broadband, as well as smart home protection through Sky Protect. 

We’re Europe’s premium content producer. We create award-winning original content, produce the biggest live sporting events, and we provide free access to news and the arts. Our new state-of-the-art film and TV studio Sky Studios Elstree is projected to attract £3 billion of new production investment to the UK in its first five years and create up to 2,000 jobs.

We are a diverse and inclusive employer that has a positive impact on society and the communities that we work and live in. Sky plays a major role in the UK’s cultural economy and, in 2022 alone, supported a contribution of £20 billion to UK GDP, broadcast 70,000 hours of elite sports coverage and invested over £130 million to provide news to consumers free of charge.

About Sky Studios

Sky Studios is the home of Sky Original Drama and Comedy.

We develop, commission and produce unmissable programming for Sky’s customers across Europe.

Our teams partner with the best indies and talent globally, to drive creative excellence and tell original stories that are loved by audiences the world over.

Our Sky Originals include Emmy-nominated hit, Gangs of London, BAFTA-winning comedy, Brassic, Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore, The Day of the Jackal, with Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch and M. Son of the Century, directed by Joe Wright.

Alongside Sky Original Comedy and Drama, Sky Studios is home to an in-house Factual development and production team, and some of the world’s most exciting production companies including Blast! Films, True North and Love Productions.

We also operate Sky Studios Elstree, the UK’s newest film and TV studio with 13 sound stages, representing a significant investment in the UK and European creative economy.

About See-Saw

See-Saw Films is a world leading independent television and film production house, founded in 2008 by Academy Award®, BAFTA and Emmy winning producers Emile Sherman and Iain Canning, with offices in London and Sydney.

See-Saw’s recent television output includes two seasons of Slow Horses for Apple TV+, written by Will Smith, adapted from the novels by Mick Herron and starring Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden and Kristin Scott Thomas; the third season of Slow Horses will air in December 2023, with a further season currently in production; The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+, written by Anna Symon, directed by Clio Barnard and starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston; and Heartstopper for Netflix adapted by Alice Oseman from her bestselling book series, directed by Euros Lyn, which has been nominated for 9 Emmys, the second season was released in August this year with a third season currently in production.

See-Saw’s first television series was the multi award-winning first season of Jane Campion’s Top Of The Lake. Campion returned with Top Of The Lake: China Girl starring Elisabeth Moss, Nicole Kidman and Gwendoline Christie which premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a Golden Globe. State of the Union, written by Nick Hornby, directed by Stephen Frears and starring Rosamund Pike and Chris O’Dowd had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019 and won three Emmy Awards. The second season of State of the Union was released in 2022 and stars Brendan Gleeson and Patricia Clarkson, who both received Emmy nominations for their roles and which Patricia Clarkson went on to win. Other past series include The North Water for BBC Two, written and directed by Andrew Haigh, starring Colin Farrell, Jack O’Connell and Stephen Graham; and Firebite for AMC+, written by Warwick Thornton and Brendan Fletcher, directed by Warwick Thornton, Brendan Fletcher and Tony Krawitz, starring Yael Stone, Rob Collins, Callan Mulvey, and Shantae Barnes-Cowan.

See-Saw’s films include Jane Campion’s The Power Of The Dog, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, won the Best Director Academy Award® (and was nominated for a further 11 awards), and won Best Director and Best Film BAFTAs (and was nominated for a further 6 awards). See-Saw produced six-time Academy Award® nominated and two-time BAFTA winning Lion, starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, and in 2011 won the Academy Award® for Best Motion Picture for The King’s Speech which swept up an additional 3 awards from 12 nominations, as well as picking up 7 BAFTAs from 14 nominations.

Recent film projects include Florian Zeller’s The Son starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby and Anthony Hopkins; Thomas M. Wright’s The Stranger, starring Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris; and John Madden’s Operation Mincemeat, written by Michelle Ashford, starring Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen and Kelly Macdonald. Upcoming film projects include Garth Davis’ Foe, written by Iain Reid and Garth Davis, starring Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal and Aaron Pierre; David Michôd’s Wizards!, starring Pete Davidson, Orlando Bloom, Naomi Scott and Franz Rogowski; Kitty Green’s The Royal Hotel, written by Kitty Green and Oscar Redding, starring Julia Garner, Jessica Henwick, Hugo Weaving and Toby Wallace; and One Life directed by James Hawes, written by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, starring Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Helena Bonham Carter and Jonathan Pryce.

See-Saw has an in-house sales arm Cross City Films, which handles international sales of its titles in select territories.

See-Saw has two joint venture production companies: I Am That – with creator/director Garth Davis (Lion), and Picking Scabs – with writer/showrunner Samantha Strauss (The End).

See-Saw has also invested in Tom Winchester’s TV company, Pure Fiction alongside talent agency Hamilton Hodell.