Robson Green is returning to crime drama with a gripping new BBC series that promises murder, buried secrets and an unlikely investigative partnership. But this time, his character isn’t a detective. He’s an ex-con trying to turn his life around – until a disturbing discovery on the grounds of a Northumberland priory pulls him into a murder investigation.
Titled The Northumbria Mysteries, the series stars Green alongside Liz White, with the dramatic Northumberland coastline providing the atmospheric backdrop for a story packed with suspicion, unexpected revelations and a case that may require an unconventional approach to solve.
With an intriguing premise and a cast of familiar faces, the new drama looks set to become a compelling addition to the BBC’s autumn schedule.
A BODY BURIED AT THE PRIORY SETS A MURDER INVESTIGATION IN MOTION
At the heart of The Northumbria Mysteries is Joe Ruby, played by Robson Green, a former criminal attempting to leave his troubled past behind.
Joe has found a new purpose volunteering at a local priory, where he looks after the grounds and seeks forgiveness for his previous mistakes. Under the kind but watchful guidance of Father David, he is determined to build a different life.
But that fresh start takes an unexpected turn when the body of a monk is discovered hastily buried in a remote section of the priory grounds.
The disturbing discovery brings in DI Rose O’Connell, portrayed by Liz White, an exceptionally intelligent detective with an ice-cool temperament. She is joined by her inexperienced second-in-command, DS Raj Singh, as they attempt to unravel the circumstances surrounding the monk’s death.
The investigation quickly proves far from straightforward. The circumstances surrounding the burial are mysterious, and the detectives face a difficult puzzle with more questions than answers.
Then Joe offers something neither investigator may have anticipated.
Drawing on his own questionable past, he comes up with unusual insights that could help explain what happened. Rose begins to recognise that the former convict might possess valuable knowledge – and that his unconventional perspective could make him an unexpected ally.
For Joe, however, getting involved in a murder investigation could put his attempts to escape his old life to the test.
ROBSON GREEN AND LIZ WHITE LEAD AN IMPRESSIVE CAST
The BBC has brought together a mixture of established British acting talent and familiar television faces for the new series.
The main cast includes:
- Robson Green as Joe Ruby
- Liz White as DI Rose O’Connell
- Gurjeet Singh as DS Raj Singh
- Simon Callow as Father David
- Chris Gascoyne as Ace Dawson
- Alexander Arnold as Benedict Bancroft
- Laurie Ogden as Sister Marie
Green takes centre stage as a man caught between the mistakes of his past and his determination to make things right, while White plays the sharp-minded detective whose investigation brings their very different worlds together.
Their unlikely partnership is one of the central attractions of the series.
WHEN CAN YOU WATCH THE NORTHUMBRIA MYSTERIES?
Viewers won’t have long to wait to enter the mysterious world of Joe Ruby and DI Rose O’Connell.
The Northumbria Mysteries premieres on BBC One at 2pm on Friday, 23 October 2026.
The first four episodes will also be available on BBC iPlayer from the same time, allowing viewers to get an early look at the investigation.
The remaining episodes will follow after the fourth episode has aired.
With a suspicious death, a former convict with an unexpected talent for uncovering clues and a detective determined to get to the truth, The Northumbria Mysteries has all the ingredients for an absorbing autumn crime drama.
