BBC police drama Lynley that’s reboot of a beloved classic has one detail that you probably missed

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The latest version of Lynley is now showing weekly on BBC One. All four episodes are also available on BBC iPlayer, but be warned – each one is about an hour and a half long, so settling in for a full binge might take some time!

If you enjoy traditional British detective shows, the new series Lynley has it all: stunning locations, an unlikely detective duo, a grumpy boss, and disturbing crimes. The show is based on Elizabeth George’s novels and centers around DI Thomas Lynley, an aristocratic Oxford graduate, and DS Barbara Havers, a down-to-earth detective.

Despite frequently clashing, they team up to investigate crimes across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire from their base in Horsborgh, Norfolk.

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Norfolk, a flat county in eastern England, is known for its unique character. It’s marked by its low-lying landscape, rapidly changing tides, and a distinctive local accent – different from those found in the west country, and like many regional British accents, entirely its own.

Which is where Lynley falls down. Where are all the Norfolk accents?

Okay, so it’s weird. You’d think Lynley, being the future Earl of Asherton, would have some kind of posh accent, but he’s got this unexpected Norfolk drawl. And honestly, even Havers, who’s super proud of being from East Anglia, doesn’t sound like she’s from there! It’s like the show completely ignores the local accents – there’s not a single character, even in the background, who sounds remotely like they’re actually in Norfolk. It’s a little immersion-breaking, you know?

There are a couple of reasons for this. The show was primarily filmed in Ireland – around Dublin, Wicklow, and Cork – in late summer 2024 for BritBox. While some initial scenes showing the Norfolk broads were included, all footage with actors was shot entirely on location in Ireland.

The show was already released in the US on BritBox in 2025, and most American viewers probably wouldn’t notice the subtle differences in the regional accents. Even in the UK, it could be difficult for many people to tell apart accents from areas like the West Country, Norfolk, and Suffolk – they’re all quite similar.

However, people familiar with the Norfolk accent immediately notice something’s off. Many of the characters who are supposed to be local don’t sound like they’re from the area, which is quite noticeable.

You won’t hear a Norfolk accent among people working in Horsford – not from boat operators, shopkeepers, cleaners, teachers, or even those working in supermarkets and coffee shops, and certainly not from the police.

We understand people move around in the UK, and regional accents aren’t always tied to specific locations. However, setting a series in Norfolk and not including anyone – not even a police officer or local resident – who speaks with a Norfolk accent feels like a noticeable and significant omission.

The books weren’t located in Norfolk; the stories followed Lynley and Havers as they traveled throughout the UK, starting from their base at the London Metropolitan Police. Choosing to film the show outside of Norfolk, and not using any local accents, seems like a strange decision, making you wonder why they didn’t film in Norfolk to begin with.

The show isn’t flawed enough to drive viewers away or ruin their enjoyment. As we noted in our review, Lynley isn’t revolutionary, but it’s a reliably good, self-contained mystery that both existing fans and newcomers to the genre will likely enjoy.

All of this remains valid, and adding Norfolk accents wouldn’t drastically alter the show. However, it would have provided a subtly more distinctive and realistic touch, especially considering the series deliberately chose Norfolk as its location while also diverging from the original story.

Lynley airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK.

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2026-01-07 11:19