‘Winter’: Richard Armitage & Annabel Scholey to Lead New PBS Police Drama Series

Meredith Jacobs December 3, 2025, 5:42 am

There’s a new police procedural coming to Masterpiece that is sure to keep you hooked.

Masterpiece PBS announced on December 3 that it will be airing a new police procedural, Winter, starring Richard Armitage and Annabel Scholey. Armitage stars as a forensic pathologist and Scholey plays the detective inspector he works alongside to solve murder cases. Both possess the same drive to get results. But he’s not just working the assigned cases — he has a secret agenda as well.

Below, we break down everything we know so far about Winter, from the cast to the plot and more.

When will Winter premiere?

That has yet to be revealed. What we do know is that filming is set to begin in early 2026 in Bristol, England, and Belgium, which means a late 2026 or early 2027 premiere date is likely.

How many episodes are in Winter?

The police procedural consists of six episodes.

Who’s in the Winter cast?

The series stars Richard Armitage as forensic pathologist Dr. Ethan Winter and Annabel Scholey as DI Lauren Bell.

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“The team behind Winter are second to none and the ambition of David Allison’s scripts is very exciting and will attempt to shake up the genre that we’ve grown to love,” said Armitage in a statement. “Ethan Winter is a compelling character treading the line between diligent professional and reckless maverick. He has a painful secret and a fatalistic self-destruct button over which his finger constantly hovers.”

Added Scholey, “Our characters’ tempestuous relationship will be a total thrill to explore, and I am excited to step into the wonderfully dry shoes of DI Lauren Bell.”

The series is an Eagle Eye Drama production co-produced with Masterpiece and in association with ITV Studios. It will be directed by Dries Vos and Kaat Beels. Matt Baker is producer. Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino will executive produce the series on behalf of Eagle Eye Drama, part of ITV Studios. The series has been adapted by David Allison and Mark Greig.

What is Winter about?

Winter is a police procedural set in Bristol, England. It follows Dr. Ethan Winter, described as “one of the most gifted pathologists of his generation. He possesses an extraordinary analytical mind, capable of impeccable deductive reasoning.” DI Lauren Bell is described as “a meticulous, no-nonsense detective.” He’s able to provide insight into the victims, which makes them a strong, capable team.

But, as the logline reveals, “Winter is harboring a secret. The unsolved murder of someone close to him still haunts his every move, and he’s intent on unofficially investigating the death to bring the murderer to justice.” That’s the through line of the series, with each episode also including a stand-alone case.

“Winter has the unique combination of compelling mysteries and human drama that our American audience craves,” said Masterpiece Head of Scripted Content and executive producer Susanne Simpson in a statement.

Added Jo McGrath, Chief Creative Officer and Walter Iuzzolino, Chief Executive Officer for Eagle Eye Drama, “We are delighted to be working with an exceptionally talented cast like Richard Armitage and Annabel Scholey to bring Winter to life for Masterpiece and ITV. The world of forensic pathology gives us the opportunity to create a different visual grammar for the show, and in the hands of two inspiring directors such as Dries Vos and Kaat Beels we know that the world of Ethan Winter will turn into a stylish and compelling TV series.”

Is Winter an adaptation?

Yes. It is based on another TV series, Balthazar, created by Clothilde Jamin and Clélia Constantine and produced by Beaubourg Stories. The French crime thriller starred Tomer Sisley and Hélène de Fougerolles and ran for five seasons, from 2018 to 2023.