Douglas Booth Tackles Police Misogyny in Gritty New ITV Crime Drama

Actor Douglas Booth is bringing a grounded realism to his latest role in ITV’s upcoming crime thriller The Blame, where he stars alongside Michelle Keegan as detectives investigating a teenage murder that uncovers far darker secrets within their own force.

The six-part series launches September 20, following DI Tom Radley and DI Emma Crane as they probe the death of 16-year-old figure skater Sophie Madsen in the fictional town of Wakestead. What begins as a straightforward murder case quickly spirals into a web of institutional corruption, cover-ups and moral compromise.

After playing characters in projects like The Riot Club, The Dirt and The Sandman, Booth jumped at the chance to inhabit a more ordinary detective closer to his own age. Playing Tom Radley offered a departure from the fantastical roles that have defined much of his career.

Yet there’s nothing simple about Tom’s predicament. Booth describes his character as caught in a “moral bear trap,” forced to grapple with uncomfortable truths about his colleagues and the institution he serves.

What makes The Blame particularly striking and unsettling is its use of actual text messages from police officers.

Booth revealed that some of the offensive exchanges featured in the drama were lifted directly from real Metropolitan Police group chat scandals. Those investigations exposed deeply troubling allegations of racism, homophobia and sexism among serving officers.

The actor admitted he was initially shocked by the messages’ severity, finding it hard to believe any screenwriter would create something so offensive. Learning they were genuine added a raw authenticity that grounds the series in real-world concerns about police culture and misogyny.

Booth spoke warmly about his partnership with Keegan, noting the two had never appeared together before despite their established careers. Keegan’s character, DI Emma Crane, is a determined detective navigating both the murder investigation and the rampant sexism within her team.

ITV describes The Blame as part mystery, part love story a crime drama that explores trust and institutional failure while developing the relationship between its two leads. Keegan has connected personally with Emma’s journey, particularly the way her concerns are dismissed simply because she’s a woman.

When Sophie Madsen’s body is discovered, Radley and Crane begin pursuing the killer. But their investigation quickly pulls them into murky institutional territory, forcing them to question whether they can trust anyone around them.

Adapted from Charlotte Langley’s novel by screenwriter Megan Gallagher and produced by Quay Street Productions, The Blame examines how personal ambition, institutional loyalty and basic morality collide within the police force.

The Blame airs September 20, 2026, at 9 p.m. on ITV1, with all six episodes also streaming on ITVX. The series rolls out across three weeks with Sunday and Monday broadcasts.

The cast includes Ian Hart as DCI Kenneth Walker, Nathan Mensah as DC Lewis, and Matilda Freeman as victim Sophie Madsen, among others.

With its blend of murder mystery, character drama and uncomfortable truths about policing, The Blame positions Booth and Keegan at the heart of a timely and provocative thriller.