Jill Halfpenny’s “gripping” psychological thriller set in rural English town unveils eerie trailer

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A chilling first look at Jill Halfpenny’s new psychological thriller, Girl Taken, has been revealed. The series, coming to Paramount+ next month, centers around a teacher who kidnaps a student.

The series opens with a frantic 911 call from Eve (Halfpenny) after her daughter, Lily (Tallulah Evans), goes missing in their quiet English town. These scenes are mixed with unsettling glimpses of chains in a basement, immediately creating a sense of mystery and danger.

Eve speaks out publicly, and then we see Rick, a cruel teacher, start to become friends with Lily’s twin sister, Abby. This hints at his deceptive character and is intercut with disturbing scenes of Lily being held captive.

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Based on Hollie Overton’s novel Baby Doll, Girl Taken tells the story of Lily’s escape from kidnapping. However, she soon finds that returning to her old life isn’t easy, as everything has changed while she was gone.

Abby, Lily, and their mother, Eve, are working to heal and rebuild their lives, but they’re haunted by the trauma they’ve experienced and the frightening knowledge that Rick is still trying to manipulate the situation and avoid facing consequences.

David Turpin, author of The Ex-Wife, Suzanne Cowie, who wrote Good Ship Murder, and Nessah Muthy, known for her work on Grantchester, collaborated to create Girl Taken.

The cast also includes Niamh Walsh from The Sandman, Vikash Bhai from Virdee, Holly Atkins from MobLand, Levi Brown from This Town, Victoria Ekanoye from The Turkish Detective, and Kiran Krishnakumar from What it Feels Like For a Girl.

I was so excited when they announced the show earlier this year, using the book’s original title! The executive producer, Suzi McIntosh, even said the book itself was fantastic – she called it original, really captivating, and a big success, which just made me even more eager to see it adapted.

She explained that the show’s suspenseful and unpredictable plot is incredibly gripping. She also noted this project marks the first time Clapperboard has worked with Paramount+ on a global scale, and they are thrilled about the partnership.

Girl Taken will premiere on Paramount+ on 8 January, 2026.

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2025-12-17 16:19