ITV announces new drama Daughter by acclaimed writer Sarah Phelps

ITV has announced that acclaimed screenwriter, playwright, and television producer Sarah Phelps will write an original drama series entitled Daughter.

Daughter focuses on two mothers from very different backgrounds and their teenage daughters whose friendship turns toxic after an accusation of bullying.

As the mothers defend their daughters, a war ensues that exposes underlying tensions and tears families apart, with repercussions rippling through the community. The series poses the unsettling question: in a world where we are frightened for our children, what happens if we become frightened of them?

Sarah Phelps, a BAFTA and RTS award-winning writer, will reunite with Executive Producers Dominic Treadwell-Collins (Rivals, You & Me, A Very English Scandal) and Alexander Lamb (Ackley Bridge, The Bay) on this project.

Phelps said: “I’ve been thinking about these tricky, complex characters for such a long time and I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to tell this story of the lies we tell ourselves about the people we love the most. And I couldn’t be happier to be working with Happy Prince and ITV to bring the world of Daughter to the screen.”

Helen Ziegler, Senior Drama Commissioning Editor, commented: “I am thrilled to be working with Sarah and Happy Prince on Sarah’s original, deliciously dark and twisted family thriller, Daughter. Sarah is an extraordinary voice of our times, whose tale about how well we can ever really know those who live in our very own homes, shocks and thrills in equal measure.”

Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Chief Creative Officer for producers Happy Prince, added: “We’re so excited to be reunited with Sarah to make Daughter. Sarah’s one of our greatest contemporary screenwriters and so brilliant both on and off screen – and to be working on something original from her genius mind makes this a very special project for us.”