The All Creatures’ star will be joined by Joanne Whalley, Emily Atack and Samuel Anderson. 

Channel 5 are good at finding projects for established faces on the channel – look at their Jason Watkins-fronted dramas. Now, they’ve found a vehicle for one of the stars of their returning series, the bucolic All Creatures Great and Small.

The Rumour stars Rachel Shenton as Joanna, a young mother in need of a new beginning. The five-part drama, now filming, adapts the Sunday Times bestseller by Lesley Kara.

Joining Rachel Shenton in the cast are Joanne Whalley (Wolf Hall), Emily Atack (Rivals) and Samuel Anderson (Doctor Who). Also, Ellie Haddington (Enola Holmes), Lucy Speed (Afterlife), Liza Sadovy (A Small Light) and Carryl Thomas (Silo). Tamzin Griffin, Alex Waldmann and Okezie Morro round out the ensemble.

Here’s the synopsis for The Rumour

Joanna moves with her young son, Alfie, to the quiet town of Flinstead, seeking a fresh start. However, she quickly becomes entangled in the lives of local mothers and the unsettling dynamics of the community. When Joanna stumbles upon an online rumour about a child killer living in the town, she uses it to win over the mums at the school gate. As gossip spreads, suspicions build, and Joanna finds herself drawn into a web of secrets and paranoia. Balancing her efforts to protect her son with the growing unease in town, Joanna struggles to distinguish between truth and hearsay. With relationships strained and emotions running high, the boundaries between trust and fear blur.

The Rumour explores how quickly small-town gossip can spiral out of control, forcing Joanna to confront the unforeseen consequences of curiosity and mistrust in her search for answers.

Rachel Shenton said:

“I’m really excited to play Joanna. The Rumour is a story of a woman unravelling as she relentlessly pursues the truth. She’s very relatable and the cast are amazing. It’s lovely to work with so many women.”

Dixie Linder, Executive Producer for Cuba Pictures, added:

“We’re thrilled to bring Lesley Kara’s compelling thriller to the screen. The Rumour delves into the unsettling impact of gossip, paranoia, and suspicion in a close-knit community. With a brilliant cast and a fantastic creative team, we can’t wait for audiences to see it.”   

The Rumour comes from writer Giula Sandler (White House Farm) and director Richard Clark (Doctor Who). Dominic Barlow (Mr Selfridge) produces.

The series is a co-production from Cuba Pictures and Clapperboard, in association with Fremantle. It’s set to air on Channel 5 in 2025.