Mike Covell’s Blogg

Whitechapel is Back!!  The most popular drama series of 2009 returns with another series commisioned by ITV.

Rupert Penry-Jones, Phil Davis and Steve Pemberton reprise their starring roles in the three-part series, produced by Carnival Films. The story continues to centre around the iconic cult of Jack the Ripper in the East End of London.
Series executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle said: “Whitechapel II will be as sharp, intense and as visually distinctive as the first series with the gangster culture of the Krays never far away. Once again the streets of Whitechapel yield an extraordinary story and we are delighted, if slightly scared, to be going back there again.”
Director of drama Laura Mackie added: “Whitechapel II will be as audacious and as compelling as the first series strengthened by further character development and very real personal jeopardy.”  The show will be produced for Carnival Films for ITV.

The principal cast will be joined by Peter Serafinowicz, (The Peter Serafinowicz Show) who plays DCI Cazenove and Craig Parkinson, (Lark-Rise to Candleford) who plays twins, Jimmy and Johnny Kray. Whitechapel II once again draws on a set of iconic cult crimes born out of the area. After Jack the Ripper comes the gangster brutality of the Krays, and in Whitechapel II the paranoia of this era and the faded glamour of the former East End overlords will characterise the drama.
Directed by David Evans (Unforgiven, Survivors) and produced by Grainne Marmion (Small Island, The Damned United), Whitechapel II will be filming at various locations around London including Whitechapel, Bethnal Green and the East End.
Whitechapel I, which played out in a 9pm Monday night slot in February, was ITV1’s best performing new drama of 2009. The first episode debuted with 9.3 million viewers (31.1%) and an average audience of 8.7 million (30.1%) watched across the three episodes.
Returning to write the second series are Ben Court and Caroline Ip and Sally Woodward Gentle will executive produce the series.
Woodward Gentle said, “Whitechapel II will be as sharp, intense and as visually distinctive as the first series with the gangster culture of the Krays never far away. Once again the streets of Whitechapel yield an extraordinary story and we are delighted, if slightly scared, to be going back there again.”