Rob Lowe joins ITV for Wild Bill drama

ITV to air six-part crime drama, Wild Bill.

“As an actor, Wild Bill is a larger than life character who’s outrageously articulate, has nothing to lose and revels in being an American fish out of water. As a Executive Producer, I’m excited to work with such talented partners and to come back to work in the UK, which I always love.” – Rob Lowe

Wild Bill will star Rob Lowe as high-flying US cop, Bill Hixon, who is appointed Chief Constable of the East Lincolnshire Police Force.

Lowe is internationally renowned for his work in film and television including The West Wing, Parks and Recreation, Code Black and St. Elmo’s Fire.  His iconic career spans four decades in film, television and theatre. He also is an acclaimed author and has been awarded two Screen Actors Guild Awards during his illustrious career.

Wild Bill has been created by David Griffiths, Kyle Killen and Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble and will be written by lead writers and show-runners Keeble and Appleton.

When high-flying stateside police chief Bill Hixon lands in Boston, Lincolnshire, with his 14 year-old daughter Kelsey in tow, he’s hoping they can flee their painful recent past. But this unfamiliar, unimpressed community will force Bill to question everything about himself and leave him asking whether it’s Boston that needs Bill, or Bill that needs Boston?

With a first class degree in Criminology, a Masters in Psychopathology and a Doctorate in Statistical Mapping, Bill Hixon is impressively qualified to tackle the county’s crime figures with his graphs, charts, algorithms and a tapestry of digits. Whip-smart, acerbic and unstoppable, Bill is very good at what he does. America’s Top Metropolitan Police Chief three years running is the ideal candidate to make his mark on the East Lincolnshire Force, not least by driving through drastic cuts. From the outset Bill isn’t about making friends. He’s here to get the job done and get the hell out as quick as his spin-class-toned legs will carry him.

But Bill discovers the people of Boston are just as smart-mouthed, cynical and difficult to impress as he is. They don’t suffer fools, authority or algorithms gladly. And the man who’s spent his life keeping the messiness of human intimacy at arm’s length is reluctantly propelled into frontline policing and forced to reconsider his relationship with those closest to him. It’s funny and dangerous in equal measure.

“I’m delighted to have Wild Bill on ITV, as it’s a really fresh take on police procedure and introduces a brilliant new cop to be played by the wonderful Rob Lowe. It’s a fantastic team and an exciting new drama for next year.” – Polly Hill, ITV Drama

Filming will take place around London and in Lincolnshire from November 2018.