When is the Doctor Foster spin-off on TV, what is it about and will Jodie Comer and Suranne Jones join the cast?
5 February 2020, 14:51 | Updated: 5 February 2020, 14:53
A Doctor Foster spin-off called 'Life' will be coming to BBC One.
The BBC has confirmed that Doctor Foster creator Mike Bartlett is developing a spin-off series called ‘Life’ led by GP Gemma's neighbour Anna.
The second series of the thriller ended back in October 2017 and fans have been calling for a third series ever since.
But it looks as though the story is set to take a new turn as Gemma becomes the central character.
So, what is it about and who will star in the cast? Here’s everything you need to know.
When is the Doctor Foster spin-off on BBC?
The six-part series is currently filming in Manchester, so it will be a good few months before we see it on TV. It will air on BBC One, just like Doctor Foster.
Read More: Who was Pete Barton’s brother Finn and how did he die in Emmerdale?
What is the Doctor Foster spin-off about?
Life will follow the stories of the residents in a large house in Manchester divided into flats.
It will centre around GP Gemma Foster's neighbour Anna who will be played by The Crown's Victoria Hamilton.
Read More: Emmerdale viewers baffled over April’s ‘lightening fast’ disappearance in soap blunder
Life was originally commissioned in March 2019, with the BBC synopsis reading: “As each of the four separate, relatable yet surprising strands unfold, they tell a larger story about what happens when we decide to step out of our own personal space and take a closer look into other people’s lives.
“LIFE explores love, loss, birth, death, the ordinary, the extraordinary and everything in between.”
Talking to The Sun, writer Mike Bartlett said: "In the last series of Doctor Foster, Anna split up with Neil and moved away.
“But I loved her as a character and suspected that was really the start of her story, rather than the end. In Life we find her living alone, under a different name, in a new city."
Mike - who also wrote three part drama Sticks and Stones - added: "It's one of four story strands that make up the series, the other three being new, completely different interconnected stories that explore the epic and extraordinary in our everyday lives."
Will Jodie Comer and Suranne Jones star in the Doctor Foster spin-off?
Unfortunately, a BBC spokesperson has confirmed that neither Jodie Comer or Suranne Jones will be reprising their roles for Life.
Killing Eve's Jodie starred as Simon's mistress-turned-wife, while Suranne was the leading role.
However, while they might not feature heavily, the actresses could have a cameo, as a TV insider told The Sun: “Life could get round the problem by ensuring they don’t have to commit to a whole series, which is a thrilling prospect for fans suffering withdrawal symptoms since it ended.”
Who is in the cast of Life?
So far, we know that the new cast for Life will include Alison Steadman from Gavin and Stacey, Peter Davison from Doctor Who, Trauma actor Adrian Lester and Rachael Stirling from The Bletchley Circle.
