Airdate: Shakespeare & Hathaway

Comedic detective series Shakespeare & Hathaway, featuring Mark Benton & Jo Joyner, begins this week on ABC.

The 10 part series from the team behind Doctors, Father Brown, The Coroner and WPC 56, debuted in the UK in February.

Private inspector Frank Hathaway has always worked alone. But Frank isn’t doing so well.

He’s out of shape and low on cash. Frank needs a partner. Frank needs ex-hairdresser and people-person Lu (Jo Joyner). He just doesn’t know it yet.

The two eventually join forces and form a highly unlikely and hugely entertaining detecting duo. Frank and Lu quickly discover that all is not as peaceful as it seems in their pretty theatre town. The mayor is murdered, vengeful lovers stalk the streets and a magician’s trick fatally misfires. Welcome to Stratford-upon-Avon, where low life criminals get caught up in deliciously high drama.

Episode 1 – Brave New World
A sobbing Lu Shakespeare (Jo Joyner) appears in Franks (Mark Benton) office, and he sees a solution to his cash flow worries. Lu suspects her charming fiancé, Clive, (Nigel Whitmey) might be cheating on her, but is unconvinced when Frank seemingly catches Clive giving his devoted secretary, Janice (Nia Gwynne), a diamond necklace.

Lu unceremoniously fires Frank who crashes the wedding in a last-minute bid to change her mind.
Lu’s not having any of it, but when Clive is discovered murdered in the bridal suite, all evidence points to Lu and her dream honeymoon is replaced by a police cell. With nowhere else to turn Lu is forced to enlist Frank to uncover the real killer and clear her name.

7:30pm Saturday on ABC.