BBC AMERICA DEBUTS NEW ORIGINAL CO-PRODUCTION "UNDERCOVER" WITH TWO-NIGHT PREMIERE EVENT IN NOVEMBER

From award-winning screenwriter Peter Moffat; starring Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo, Olivier Award winner Adrian Lester and Golden Globe(R) nominee Dennis Haysbert

New York - October 20, 2016 - Premiering on November 16, BBC AMERICA's Undercover is a bold new political thriller told through a family on the brink of destruction. From BAFTA-winning screenwriter Peter Moffat (The Night Of, Criminal Justice), the six-part series follows Maya Cobbina (Sophie Okonedo), a spirited and passionate barrister (lawyer), who is about to become the first black Director of Public Prosecutions - the highest-ranking public prosecutor role in England. But just as Maya's life comes under intense public scrutiny, she discovers that Nick (Adrian Lester), her husband and the father of her children, has been lying to her for years. His web of lies threatens to destroy not only her career (and the twenty-year-long case she's based it all on), but also the life she and Nick built together. Starring Academy Award nominee Sophie Okonedo, Olivier Award winner Adrian Lester and Golden Globe(R) nominee Dennis Haysbert, Undercover debuts with a two-night premiere event on Wednesday, November 16 and Thursday, November 17 at 8/7c on BBC AMERICA.

For the past twenty years Maya has defended Rudy Jones (Haysbert) - a death row inmate, falsely imprisoned for murder. Maya can only watch as her dearest friend and client refuses to go quietly, urging her to fight the deep-grained injustices that have tainted two decades of his life. Shaken, Maya returns to London, to her three children and husband, Nick (Lester) - a writer and a man dedicated to his family. Nick put his ambitions to one side to support the meteoric career of his brilliant wife... but all is not what it seems. Nick has a secret past life as an undercover officer, infiltrating political organizations for the Metropolitan Police. It was on one of these missions that he met Maya, fell in love, left the police force and went on to have three children - all under a false identity. Now, Nick is trapped in the compounding lie. Truths will emerge and Maya and Nick's lives will change forever...

In following Maya and her life's work, Undercover explores controversial and challenging issues that impact society on a global scale, with the narrative revealed over different time frames in both the US and UK. The series pulls from factual events in recent UK history and tackles the hot button issue of race relations, weaving a tale of political corruption, betrayal, and miscarriages of justice.

Undercover is a BBC Drama Production co-produced by BBC AMERICA. The series is executive produced by Hilary Salmon (The Night of), directed by James Hawes (Penny Dreadful) and Jim O'Hanlon (In the Flesh), with Richard Stokes (Broadchurch) producing.

CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS

Maya Cobbina Sophie Okonedo (The Hollow Crown, Criminal Justice)

Nick Johnson Adrian Lester (Euphoria, London Spy)

Daniel Johnson Daniel Ezra (The Missing, Prey)

Clemency Johnson Tamara Lawrance (Undercover)

Ella Johnson Shannon Hayes (Tyger Tyger)

Rudy Jones Dennis Haysbert (Kodachrome, 24)

Michael Antwi Sope Dirisu (Sand Castle, Humans)

Paul Brightman Derek Riddell (The Missing, Ripper Street)

Julia Redhead Angel Coulby (The Tunnel, Dancing on the Edge)

Abigail Strickland Leanne Best (Star Wars VII - The Force Awakens, Line of Duty)

John Halliday Mark Bonnar (Catastrophe, Line of Duty)

Robert Greenlaw Alistair Petrie (Hampstead, The Night Manager)

Dominic Carter Vincent Regan (The White Princess, Silk)

Creator/Writer Peter Moffat (The Night of, Criminal Justice)

Executive Producer Hilary Salmon (The Night of, London Spy)

Director (Episodes 1-3) James Hawes (Penny Dreadful, Enid)

Director (Episodes 4-6) Jim O'Hanlon (In the Flesh, Emma)

Producer Richard Stokes (Broadchurch, Silk)

Undercover is a BBC Drama Production co-produced by BBC AMERICA

Created in 1998, BBC AMERICA is a hub of innovative, culturally contagious programming like the ground-breaking un-scripted series Top Gear, the top-rated science-fiction phenomenon Doctor Who, and the fan-favorite Orphan Black. The influential network has been the launch pad for talent including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, and Graham Norton - all adopted as American pop culture icons. A joint venture between BBC Worldwide (the commercial arm of the BBC) and AMC Networks, BBCA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including five Emmy(R) Awards, five Golden Globes(R) and 12 Peabody Awards. The irrepressible network has garnered one of cable's most curious, educated and affluent audiences, with many properties boasting super-fan levels of engagement. Available on cable and satellite TV, BBC America broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, is available On Demand across all major digital platforms and offers full episodes online at bbcamerica.com.