BBC Commissions Welsh Series 'Old Town Murders' & 'The Witch Farm'
The BBC adds two new Welsh shows to the roster as it continues to focus on producing shows outside of the traditional London locations.
Charter reviews for the BBC every decade are a relatively new phenomenon; however, the 2026-2027 charter review would have happened even without the imposition created by the Tories. (The original BBC 99-year charter was signed in 1927.) That being said, even though it was initially created as a way to slowly destroy Auntie Beeb from the inside out, it's actually wound up helping, as those at the BBC take these opportunities seriously. The 2016 re-up, for instance, demanded more diversity; the result has been award-winning shows like Mr. Loverman and Dreaming Whilst Black, and fascinating, if flawed, period pieces like The Confessions of Frannie Langton and Sanditon.
It's also pushed the BBC out of London, creating filming hubs in places like Liverpool, Northern Ireland, and the West Midlands. But the biggest move has been in Wales, where new series in both English and Welsh (and sometimes both!) have become major breakout hits.
While the latest charter review is underway (with plans to strike the 10-year review as ludicrous and costly), the BBC is continuing to plow ahead with new Welsh commissions, announcing two for April 2026: The Witch Farm and Old Town Murders.
The Witch Farm
Based on the hit BBC4 podcast of the same name, The Witch Farm hails from Danny Robins, who also starred in the podcast. One part ghost story and one part supernatural mystery, the original podcast was released in October 2022 and told the story of Bill and Liz Rich, who, in 1989, moved into a farm in Wales, only to experience paranormal events that still can't be explained. Robin and Liz Rich led the investigation, with Joseph Fiennes and Alexandra Roach voicing reenactments.
Here's the synopsis:
South Wales, 1989. Bill and Liz Rich leave London for Heol Fanog, a remote modern farmhouse in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, determined to make a fresh start. At first, the isolation feels like freedom. But when, in the midst of a traumatic home birth, Liz becomes convinced she’s seen a ghostly figure in the bedroom, they start to feel increasingly afraid… What follows is a steady escalation of the chillingly uncanny - unexplained disturbances and an unsettling sense that they are not alone. As Bill and Liz begin to investigate, the house draws them deeper into a history that refuses to stay buried. And as the land yields its secrets, so too does their marriage - testing the limits of trust, belief, and what they’re willing to deny in order to survive.
For the TV series version, Michael Socha (Showtrial) and Gabrielle Creevy (Black Doves) play Bill and Liz Rich. Robins will adapt the podcast into a four-part series, with director Stacey Gregg (Bad Sisters) helming all installments, and Megan Ott producing.
Old Town Murders
The Witch Farm may have a built-in fanbase from its hit podcast, but Old Town Murders has tried-and-true on its side. A brand-new, witty, twisty crime series from Matthew Barry (who wrote the Creevy starrer The Guest), the series hails from Nicola Shindler's Quay Street Production team, who have been the driving force behind several major hit series, including After the Flood, Nolly, The Red King, and all those Harlan Coben miniseries on Netflix.
Here's the synopsis:
DI Glyn Walsh and DS Sion Dearden, old friends and partners who should be on their last legs following their personal hardships, find new purpose and hope as they work together to solve perplexing murders in the idyllic seaside town of Tenby.
When Walsh returns unexpectedly early from bereavement leave, he and Dearden work together to solve the perplexing murder of an esteemed University Professor. The case takes the pair on a complex investigation into the underbelly of the local University to track down the killer. Once the killer is found, there is no time to rest, as the pair are called to more murder mysteries across the area. From the poisoning of a local Head Teacher who inexplicably drowns whilst wild swimming, to a mystifying case of mistaken identity during a triathlon, the pair must navigate working and living under the same roof while solving a slew of baffling murder cases.
Mark Lewis Jones (The Crown) and Steffan Rhodri (Steeltown Murders) lead the cast as Walsh and Dearden. The rest of the series ensemble includes James Bamford (Masters of the Air), Bethan Mary-James (Death Valley), Catherine Ayers (Missing You), and Julie Graham (Time).
Barry serves as writer alongside Hannah Daniel (Mudtown). Directors Andy Newbery (Heartstopper) and Rhys Carter (Still Waters) split helming duties across the six-episode series, with Guy Hescott producing.
Filming for Old Town Murders is already underway in Wales, with The Witch Farm expected to begin by summer 2026. Neither show is expected out until 2027, and neither has American distribution as yet.
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