Shetland star's gripping ITV drama is a 'bingeable treat'


Kate Beckinsale stars in the gripping eight-part drama, The Widow, which comes from Harry and Jack Williams, the writing duo behind The Missing and The Tourist


THE WIDOW, Kate Beckinsale © Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo
Nicky Morris
Nicky MorrisActing TV and Film Editor
2 minutes ago
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Calling all crime drama fans! The gripping eight-part series, The Widow, is now available to stream on ITVX. If you like twisty, high-stakes thrillers set in far-away locations, it's worth checking out. 

Kate Beckinsale leads the cast as Georgia Wells, who thinks her husband Will died in a plane crash until, three years later, she spots him in a news report about a riot in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Could her husband still be alive? 

Kate Beckinsale in The Widow© TCD/Prod.DB / Alamy Stock Photo
Kate Beckinsale leads the cast of The Widow

The series, which premiered in 2019, boasts a cast of familiar faces, including Charles Dance (Frankenstein), Alex Kingston (Doctor Who) and Louise Brealey (Shetland). Plus, it's penned by Harry and Jack Williams, the writing duo behind acclaimed shows The Missing, Fleabag and The Tourist. 

Keep reading to find out more…

What is The Widow about?

The series follows Georgia Wells, who is grieving her husband's death and leads a solitary existence in Wales, having cut herself off from her previous life.

The synopsis continues: "After seeing her 'late' husband on the news, she is pulled back to face the world and will stop at nothing until she gets the truth about her past. 

Charles Dance
Kate Beckinsale in The Widow
The series follows a widow who, three years after her husband's death, spots him on the news

"This emotionally gut-wrenching thriller will take Georgia into the depths of the African Congo where danger and revelation will greet her at every turn."

Who stars in The Widow? 

Kate Beckinsale (Serendipity) stars as Georgia Wells, alongside Matthew Le Nevez (Absentia) as her husband Will Mason.

The cast also includes Charles Dance as Martin Benson, Alex Kingston as Judith Gray, Babs Olusanmokun as General Azikiwe, Shalom Nyandiko as Adidja, Luiana Bonfim as Gaëlle Kazadi and Louise Brealey as Beatrix.

What have viewers and critics said about the show? 

Viewers described the series as "a bingeable treat" and "excellent".

Taking to social media, one person wrote: "Similar to #TheMissing, lots of unexpected twists and surprises which I really loved. Excellent writing by Jack & Harry Williams," while another hailed the series as "gripping". 

Alex Kingston smiling in a black dress© FilmMagic
Alex Kingston also stars in the ITV series

Meanwhile, the series received mixed reviews from TV critics. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show "wants to be ambitious but lacks gravitas," while The Guardian described the drama as "annoyingly moreish". 

The Widow is available to stream on ITVX. 

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