TV series filmed in Burnham and Berrow to air in the new year

Truelove was filmed locally earlier in 2023 and in 2022 - it will premiere on Channel 4 on Wednesday, January 3, from 9pm.

The show is described by Channel 4 as 'a unique spin on a cat and mouse thriller, centring on a gang of older friends who make a pact that, if and when the time comes, rather than let each other suffer a dreadful decline they will engineer a more dignified death as a sign of ‘Truelove’'.

Sue Johnston, known for her roles in Waking the Dead and The Royle Family, leads the cast made up mainly of those aged 70 and older.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: "Truelove offers a refreshingly different take on older age, with its thrilling twists, wry sense of humour, and a passionate love story at its heart, celebrating second chances and the idea that it’s never too late.

"Meanwhile underpinning all of this is the knottiest of moral questions – is it ever right to help end of life?"

Sue plays the role of Marion, a fringe member of the main group, married to David, and brother of Tom. She’s been happily married to David for fifty years and enjoys a quiet life by the coast.

The first episode set to be aired in the new year sees Phil (Philippa), a bored and retired police officer played by Lindsay Duncan reunites with ex-romance partner, Ken, a solitary SAS veteran, played by Clarke Peters.

They reunite for the first time in years at a friend’s funeral, and – at the drunken wake – they and their friends take it in turns to imagine what a dignified death looks like, dreaming of quality of years over quantity. 

The pair joke that they would make the perfect team to help any ill friends with a ‘solution’ to their quality of quantity dilemma - Ken could kill them, and Phil could use her detective skills to cover up the crime and make it look like a natural departure.

According to Channel 4 however, 'what starts as a joke morphs into reality when their beloved friend Tom asks them to make the ultimate sacrifice.'