CHANNEL 4 has commissioned a new eight-part crime thriller starring Sam Heughan and James Nesbitt.

The show, which has the working title Suspect, is an adaptation of the original Danish series Forhoret and will feature a prestigious cast including Joley Richardson, Anne-Marie Duff and Richard E. Grant, alongside Heughan and Nesbitt. 

James Nesbitt will star as veteran detective Danny Frater who turns up at a hospital for a routine ID check on a young woman's body, but gets a devastating shock when the corpse turns out to be his estranged daughter Christina, played by Imogen King. 

As Danny sets out to find out the truth about her death, he is forced to confront his own failings as a father while also trying to make sense of contradictory evidence from those closest to Christina.

James Nesbitt, said: "I could relate to Danny, with his flaws, vulnerabilities and the devastating situation he faces, from the very first moment I picked up the script.

"Each episode of Suspect (w/t) is an intensely theatrical double-hander, a psychological battle of wits between Danny and another character who may know something about his daughter's untimely death, and I really can't wait to lock horns with my fellow cast members and to lead this incredible array of acting talent."

Suspect, which was filmed last autumn, is produced by Eagle Eye Drama and will follow on from the success of Before We Die which aired on Channel 4 earlier this year.