Van Der Valk
Van Der Valk and his team investigate a murder linked to a billionaire’s diamond dynasty…
Sunday, 8pm, ITV Drama
Marc Warren’s Dutch detective must infiltrate Amsterdam’s diamond world when the body of a former diamond polisher is discovered cut into three pieces and left on the doorsteps of the dysfunctional Cuyper siblings, heirs to a billion-dollar dynasty. But he soon finds the diamond business awash with envy, greed and corruption, and anyone could be a killer.
When a carved-up human torso is discovered on the doorstep of a billionaire’s city mansion, Van Der Valk and his team are on the case.
The second episode of the series is set amid the glittering world of Amsterdam’s diamond industry and the murder investigation headed up by Commissaris Piet Van Der Valk (Marc Warren) draws the team into the orbit of the super-rich Cuyper siblings.
‘Matriarch Geraldine
Cuyper has built a diamond dynasty worth billions but she’s recently passed away,’ explains Maimie Mccoy, who stars as Van Der Valk’s right-hand woman, Inspector Lucienne Hassell. ‘Now her three children are launching a new range of diamonds in her memory.’ However, it’s clear there’s bitter rivalry between the siblings. Call the Midwife actor Leo Staar plays the Cuypers’ psychotherapist, Florian Barby, who knows all their secrets. Meanwhile, Dutch star Thom Hoffman plays
Jacob Prins, a former employee and chief diamond buyer who’s recently been sacked. ‘We always have an amazing wealth of Dutch talent in every episode,’ says Maimie. ‘Jacob is very well-known and is like the Dutch Doc Martin!’
Behind the scenes
As the investigation continues, there are more murders and the team soon uncover a business awash with greed.
‘I particularly loved shooting in the diamond factory,’ says Maimie. ‘We were in the workshop and some of the employees who’d been there for 20-odd years were extras. Being there was fascinating. I’d never held a rough diamond before!’