New BBC thriller unites Welsh Game of Thrones stars

Filming for a major new six-part crime thriller for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, based on Mo Hayder’s acclaimed Jack Caffery novels, is now underway across Wales.

Written and adapted by Megan Gallagher and directed by Lee Haven Jones and Kristofer Nyholm, the cast includes Ukweli Roach in the lead role of DI Jack Caffery along with Sian Reese-Williams, Juliet Stevenson and Sacha Dhawan.

It also reunites Game of Thrones stars, Iwan Rheon who played the cruel Ramsey Bolton and Owen Teale who played Ser Alliser Thorne the Master-at-Arms at Castle Black.

Wolf is a thriller which tells the story of the wealthy Anchor-Ferrers family, who find themselves the victims of a psychopath’s cruel mind games.

Trapped and terrorized inside their own home, an isolated house in Monmouthshire, they pray that someone will come to their rescue.

Welsh identity

Due for release in 2023, and with potential to be aired globally, the six-part series has a strong Welsh identity and the production is using Welsh crew, locations and facilities, generating up to £6m for the Welsh economy.

Funded through the Creative Wales and BBC Wales, there are 14 trainees working on the production including apprentices from the Criw shared apprenticeship and Screen Skills Trainee Finder schemes. These placements are tracked and monitored to help ensure future careers pathways for all trainees.

To date Creative Wales has invested over £12 million and backed almost 20 productions since its inception in January 2020.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden visited the team on location this week and met with Shadowing Director, Oliver Gabe who is on a Ffilm Cymru placement.

Oliver said: “Wolf has been the greatest learning experience I could ask for. I have learnt so much observing Lee and the team at work. The crew are fantastic and continue to teach me new things everyday.

“This whole experience has motivated me entirely and continues to inspire me to keep making my own films. I cannot thank Lee, Nikki, Elaine and everyone at Hartswood and Ffilm Cymru enough for the opportunity, I feel very lucky to be a part of this scheme.”

World class locations

Locations Assistant, Morgan Smith from Fairwater, Cardiff is a Screen Skills trainee whose first experience of the industry was on the Hartswood Production Roald and Beatrix.

Morgan said; “I’ve really enjoyed the experience of working with Chris Hill, Iestyn Hampson Jones and the rest of the locations team on Wolf. I hope that this experience will help me progress as part of the locations department and to keep working as part of such a great team.”

Ms Bowden said: “I’m delighted to get a sneak peak at this production in progress.  It really is a production rooted in Wales, making the most of our fabulous Welsh landscapes – and of course Welsh talent and crew.

“Wales offers a wealth of diverse filming locations and a skilled workforce and it is excellent to see Hartswood Films returning to Wales.

“Wales is the third busiest hub for TV and film production in the UK, which is creating unprecedented demand for skills and talent in a growing sector.  Creative Wales is working with the sector to boost training through funding and support.

“This production will provide many skills and training opportunities, and we hope that Wolf will become a long-running series with these trainees having the opportunity to grow and progress in their roles.”