ITV's Winter crime drama debuts with Richard Armitage, Jamie Kenna

ITV launched its new crime thriller series Winter on September 30, 2026, at 9pm. The six-episode drama is adapted from the French series Balthazar, which ran for five series between 2018 and 2023, and has been adapted by David Allison and Mark Greig.

The series follows forensic pathologist Dr Ethan Winter (Richard Armitage), who works with DI Lauren Bell (Annabel Scholey) and DS Ellis Daldry (Jamie Kenna) to solve complex murder cases. According to the show's synopsis, Winter is "a man tormented by the violent death ten years ago of someone close to him." When a recent suicide arrives in his lab bearing a clue that echoes the earlier death, Winter is shaken to the core. The opening case involves the frozen body of a young woman found in a truck, which presents an immediate challenge for the investigative team.

Armitage, discussing his casting, noted that he had never previously played anyone from the world of forensics. He stated: "My friend is a defence lawyer and works in that field. She's secretive about her job and I've always probed her to tell me more as I'm fascinated. So that aspect interested me, as well as the fact that Winter communes with the murder victims." Scholey praised the production team and script, saying: "I thought the scripts were great, plus I've worked with this team before [on The Couple Next Door], who are like a family in Belgium."

The cast also includes Ben Castle-Gibb, Carlotta Banat, Jay Taylor, Georgie Fellows, Adwoa Akoto, Bob Cryer, and others in supporting roles. All six episodes are available to stream on ITVX, with remaining episodes airing weekly at 9pm on ITV1.

September 30 also marked Jamie Kenna's birthday. His wife, West End performer Claire Marlowe, shared tributes on Instagram, posting a selfie of the couple with the caption: "Happy Jamie Kenna day! Have a lovely birthday! See you this eve!" Marlowe is known for roles in Titanic the Musical, Whistle Down the Wind, and television appearances in Casualty and House of the Holy. Kenna has previously appeared in Coronation Street as Phil Whittaker, and in supporting roles in Peaky Blinders, His Dark Materials, and House of the Dragon.