Deceit cast revealed for new Channel 4 drama series

Here’s all you need to know about Channel 4’s brand new drama Deceit.

The four-part series, previously titled My Name is Lizzie, is written by Emilia di Girolamo (The Tunnel) and produced by Story Films.

Currently airing Friday nights at 9PM, the drama examines the high-pressure investigation into the devastating murder of Rachel Nickell in 1992.

Examining the complicated and toxic sexual politics of the early ‘90s and the police’s obsession with the wrong man, My Name is Lizzie enters a dysfunctional world, where a female undercover officer, codename ‘Lizzie James’, is asked to become sexual bait for a suspected killer.

Niamh Algar (The Virtues, Raised by Wolves and Calm with Horses) will play the title role of ‘Lizzie James’.

Also on the cast are Sion Daniel Young (Keeping Faith, Doc Martin) as Colin Stagg, Harry Treadaway (The Crown, Star Trek: Picard) as Keith Pedder, Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan, Vice) as Paul Britton, Nathaniel Martello-White (I Hate Suzie, Collateral, Small Axe: Mangrove) as Baz and Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty, Criminal: UK) as Lucy.

Channel 4 tease: “Five months on from the crime and The Met Police are still no closer to capturing the man they’re convinced is responsible. First identified through a BBC Crimewatch appeal, the evidence is stacked against Colin Stagg. The media feed a national obsession, covering every detail of the case and demanding justice.

“The police are determined to catch the man who, in their eyes, is guilty before he kills again. In desperation, the relatively young Detective Inspector leading the case, engages the nation’s most famous criminal profiler to devise a bold undercover operation which will see an attractive, young female officer start a relationship with Colin Stagg.

“Growing up under Thatcher’s reign, with second-wave feminism ‘Lizzie James’ is determined to rise through the ranks. But the early ‘90s has brought with it an inevitable backlash in the shape of ‘Lad Culture’, obliterating any feminist gains and putting women firmly back in their place.

“Hugely ambitious, ‘Lizzie’ has found a way to stand out by becoming one of very few female undercover officers deployed in covert operations… And then she’s offered a central role in the biggest murder enquiry the country has ever seen…”

Deceit started on Friday, 13 August at 9PM and continues weekly on TV. You can also watch online via All 4 here where the full four-episode series is available to stream right away.

The drama will make use of previously unheard audio, video and written materials to create scenes featuring verbatim dialogue as part of a fictionalised retelling of events, taking viewers behind the scenes of one of the UK’s most flawed and controversial police investigations.

Caroline Hollick, Head of Channel 4 Drama said: “I couldn’t think of a more phenomenally talented ensemble than Eddie, Harry, Sion, Nathaniel and Rochenda to join Niamh Algar, who is fast becoming an iconic star of the Channel, in order to shine a light on one of the most shocking stories in modern policing.

“The unique female perspective of Emilia’s extraordinary scripts, alongside the stellar performances of our cast, combined with Story Films’ trademark journalistic rigor create a truly sensitive, nuanced and incredibly powerful 4-part drama that we are incredibly proud of.”