‘The Assassin’ Star Keeley Hawes Joins Season 2 Of George Kay’s ITV Thriller ‘Gone’

Keeley Hawes has boarded the second season of ITV thriller Gone from Lupin creator George Kay.

Three-time BAFTA nominee Hawes will play Ruth Manning, a pre-eminent and devoted paediatric surgeon working at Bristol’s Makeway Hospital, who comes into the crosshairs of DS Annie Cassidy (Eve Myles) when it becomes apparent that, for the greater good of her patients, she could be hiding the dark truth about a series of historical crimes.

The news comes a day after it was revealed that The Assassin star Hawes would be joining the second season of a different UK show, Sky’s Prisoner. Her hit Prime Video series The Assassin launches in two days’ time.

Gone is set in a prestigious private school in Bristol. Season 1 also starred David Morrissey as a local Headmaster Michael Polly (Morrissey), who becomes the prime suspect in his wife Sarah’s disappearance. The first run of the drama series starring Myles “eclipsed all streaming records” on ITV streamer ITVX, according to the UK network.

Gone comes from Kay, the storied creator behind the likes of Lupin, Hijack and War. His Observatory Pictures produces with New Pictures in association with Banijay Rights, which sells the show.

“I’m thrilled to be back in the world of DS Annie Cassidy, played by Eve Myles, who brings such wit and depth to all her roles,” said Kay. “This time she’ll be trying to find the truth about the character of Ruth Manning, a high-end paediatric surgeon played by the brilliant Keeley Hawes, who I’ve hoped to work with for so long and now finally get the chance.”

The series is executive produced by Willow Grylls (War, The Long Shadow, The Missing), BAFTA Award nominee Matt Sandford (Gone, The Long Shadow), and Kay. Director of Drama Polly Hill will oversee production of Gone from the broadcaster’s perspective. Gone is partly inspired by the book To Hunt a Killer and the real-life work of former Detective Superintendent Julie Mackay and ITV Crime Correspondent Robert Murphy, who both serve as consultants on the production.