The Bodyguard’s Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley have joined the cast of the dark, disturbing modern-day reimagining of ‘The Midwich Cuckoos’.

The eight-part series is will see Hawes take on the role of gifted psychotherapist Dr Susannah Zellaby, while Beesley plays Local officer DCI Paul Kirby.

Aisling Loftus (A Discovery of Witches), Ukweli Roach (Blindspot), Synnøve Karlsen (Last Night In Soho, Clique), Lara Rossi (Robin Hood), Lewis Reeves (I May Destroy You), Rebekah Staton (Raised by Wolves) and Anneika Rose (Line of Duty) will also star.

The series is described as an unnerving fable for our turbulent times, a thrilling, strange and at times horrifying journey into parenthood, which lays bare any parent’s worst fear: that the thing most precious to us – a child – might desire our destruction.

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Hawes stated: “I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Sky and the brilliant Ruth Kenley-Letts on David Farr’s superb adaptation of The Midwich Cuckoos. I’m very much looking forward to working with the hugely talented Max Beesley and the amazing cast and I can’t wait to enter the strange and unsettling world of Midwich!”

David Farr, Sasha Hails, Namsi Khan and Laura Lomas pen the series which will see Alice Troughton (Baghdad Central, Cucumber, A Discovery of Witches) as the lead director, with Jennifer Perrott (Gentleman Jack, Doctor Who) serving as director.

Production is set to begin in London in May with a view to the series airing on Sky One and NOW in the UK and Ireland.