Acorn TV & Paramount’s Channel 5 Set Adaptation Of Richard Coles Book ‘Murder Before Evensong’

EXCLUSIVE: Acorn TV, the AMC Networks-owned streamer, and Paramount‘s Channel 5 are co-producing an adaptation of Reverend Richard Coles‘ bestselling book Murder Before Evensong.

Acorn has been developing the series for around two years alongside Sky Studios-backed producer The Lighthouse. The streamer will take U.S. rights, while Channel 5 will broadcast the drama in the UK.

Murder Before Evensong was published in 2022 and introduces Canon Daniel Clement, a rector of Champton who becomes embroiled in a murder case when a cousin to the church’s patron is found stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs.

Canon Daniel Clement has gone on to feature in three other of Coles’ so-called “cozy crime” novels, including Murder at the Monastery and A Death in the Parish.

Midsomer Murders writer Nick Hicks-Beach was attached to the adaptation. Coles is expected to serve as an executive producer alongside Hicks-Beach and Lighthouse co-founder Radford Neville. Lighthouse produced Netflix’s Prince Andrew film Scoop and was behind 61st Street for AMC Networks.

Coles is a media personality in his own right in the UK. The Church of England priest previously co-hosted BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live and appeared on Season 15 of Strictly Come Dancing. He is set to feature in this year’s season of ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.

Acorn TV and Channel 5 have been approached for comment.