Sheridan Smith Heads to the Outback: ITV’s Gripping New Thriller ‘Two Birds’ Promises Secrets, Lies and Heart-Stopping Twists

Fresh from her BAFTA-nominated performance, the award-winning actress stars as a grieving British police officer whose fresh start in Australia turns deadly.

Sheridan Smith, one of Britain’s most versatile and compelling actresses, is set to captivate audiences once again in Two Birds, a brand-new six-part mystery thriller commissioned by ITV and co-produced with Australian streamer Stan. Filmed on location in the rugged, sun-baked mining landscape of Western Australia, the series marks a bold departure for the star best known for powerful dramatic roles in Mrs Biggs, The Teacher, No Return and her recent critically acclaimed turn as Ann Ming in I Fought the Law.

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Smith’s portrayal of Ann Ming — the determined mother fighting to repeal the double jeopardy law after her daughter’s murder — earned her a Leading Actress nomination at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards. That raw, emotionally charged performance has only heightened anticipation for her next project. In Two Birds, she brings her signature warmth, vulnerability and steely intensity to the role of British Police Constable Izzie Cornwell.

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The story follows Izzie as she arrives in the small fictional town of Dugdale (set against the real-life mining region of Kalgoorlie) after the sudden death of her spouse. Desperate for a fresh start, she hopes to reconnect with her sister, who has built a new life there with her Australian husband, and — most crucially — to repair her fractured relationship with her twenty-year-old daughter, who has been deeply shaken by her mother’s recent destructive behaviour.

Yet peace proves elusive in this isolated, unforgiving corner of the outback. Soon after settling in, Izzie is drawn into a complex murder investigation alongside her new boss, Homicide Detective Matt (played by Australian star Stephen Peacocke of The Newsreader). When the victim is revealed to be a member of a notorious local crime family headed by the formidable Mrs Baxter (Oscar-nominated actress Judy Davis of Nitram and The Dressmaker), the stakes skyrocket.

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Two Birds’: ITV Series Will Star Sheridan Smith & Stephen Peacocke

What begins as a routine case quickly spirals into a tangled web of lies, hidden betrayals and dangerous secrets. A single reckless decision forces Izzie to protect a truth that could destroy her fragile new life — testing her professional judgment, her maternal instincts and her own emotional resilience. The remote mining town, with its vast gold mines, harsh beauty and tightly knit community that “clings to its secrets,” becomes both a character and a pressure cooker.

hollywood-spy.blogspot.com

HOLLYWOOD SPY: SHERIDAN SMITH, STEPHEN PEACOCKE AND JUDY DAVIS TO LEAD NEW MYSTERY THRILLER SERIES TWO BIRDS FROM ITV AND STAN

Written by acclaimed crime novelist Helen FitzGerald (The Cry) and produced by Patrick Spence’s AC Chapter One (the team behind the acclaimed Mr Bates vs the Post Office), Two Birds blends psychological depth with classic whodunit suspense. ITV’s Director of Drama Polly Hill praised Smith’s ability to bring “inimitable warmth and depth” to Izzie, while promising viewers an “exhilarating” journey through a rarely seen on-screen Australian landscape.

The supporting cast adds further star power and local authenticity. Judy Davis delivers what is expected to be a commanding, chilling presence as the matriarch of the powerful Baxter family, while Stephen Peacocke brings gravitas and chemistry as Izzie’s new colleague and potential ally. The ensemble explores themes of grief, family loyalty, moral compromise and the isolating nature of small-town secrets in a vast, unforgiving environment.

Visually, the series is poised to impress with sweeping shots of Western Australia’s dramatic mining terrain — endless red earth, towering mine structures and the stark contrast between the town’s quiet surface and the undercurrents of crime and corruption beneath. Production has been supported by Screenwest, highlighting the growing collaboration between UK and Australian television.

For fans of intelligent, character-driven crime dramas such as Broadchurch, The Cry or The Tourist, Two Birds looks set to deliver addictive twists, emotional gut punches and edge-of-your-seat tension. Sheridan Smith’s grounded yet powerhouse performance is already being tipped as another award-contender, anchoring a story that asks how far a mother and police officer will go to protect the people she loves — and herself.

With filming recently completed or underway in Western Australia, Two Birds is expected to air on ITV and ITVX in the UK (and on Stan in Australia) in 2026. Early buzz suggests it could become one of the year’s most talked-about thrillers.

If you thought Sheridan Smith couldn’t get any better after I Fought the Law, Two Birds may prove you wrong. In a town where everyone has something to hide, trust is the rarest — and most dangerous — commodity of all.

Main Cast

Sheridan Smith as PC Izzie Cornwell
Stephen Peacocke as Detective Matt
Judy Davis as Mrs Baxter

All six episodes promise to keep viewers guessing until the final, jaw-dropping revelation.