Thrilling news for Colin as he signs up for TV series

COLIN Farrell has been signed up for a new BBC four-part thriller.

The Dubliner, left, has joined the cast of The North Water based on the acclaimed novel by Ian McGuire. It tells the story of a disgraced ex-army surgeon, Patrick Sumner, who signs up as a ship’s doctor on a whaling expedition to the Arctic.

Farrell plays Henry Drax, a harpooner and brutish killer who is also on board the ship.

Sumner has been trying to escape his past but finds himself working with a psychopath on an ill-fated journey. Instead of redemption he has to fight for survival in the freezing Arctic. The role of Sumner is expected to be announced shortly.

The series marks a return to the BBC for In Bruges and The Lobster star Farrell, 42, who first shot to fame in Ballykissangel in the 1990s. It is also his most high-profile TV gig since he starred in the second series of True Detective.

Filming will begin in autumn and BBC Studios will distribute the series internationally. It will be made by Weekend and Lean on Pete director Andrew Haigh. According to online magazine Deadline Hollywood, the series will be produced as three hour-long episodes and a 90-minute finale.

It will be set in Hull, England, and the ice floes of the Arctic in the late 1850s.

Director Andrew Haigh said: ‘Casting the right leads is the most important part of any project and I’m thrilled to have Colin Farrell on board. I’m a huge admirer of his work and can’t wait to see him bring Drax to life.’

The upcoming series is being produced by the makers of acclaimed New Zealand TV drama Top of The Lake.