Hugh Laurie in Roadkill. Photo: BBC

Ambition knows no bounds, nor does corruption when Hugh Laurie (Jeeves and Wooster, Blackadder, Veep, The Night Manager, House) and Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders, MotherFatherSon) star in Roadkill, a new political thriller from Academy Award nominee David Hare (Collateral, The White Crow) coming to Masterpiece beginning November 1 at 9p/8c.

Roadkill is about Conservative minister, Peter Laurence (Hugh Laurie), a self-made forceful and charismatic politician in the midst of a very public meltdown while continuing to have his sights set on becoming PM. Peter’s public and private life seems to be falling apart – or rather is being picked apart by his enemies.

As the personal revelations spiral, he is shamelessly untroubled by guilt or remorse, expertly walking a high wire between glory and catastrophe as he seeks to further his own agenda while others plot to bring him down. In an effort to be very clear that Peter Laurence bears no resemblance to any current politician on either side of the pond, the BBC press release uses the word ‘fictional’ on several occasions too drive home the point.

The 4-part series also stars Iain De Caestecker (Agents of SHIELD) as Peter’s assistant, Sidse Babett Knudsen (The Accident), Saskia Reeves (Us), Sarah Greene (Dublin Murders), Patricia Hodge (Miranda), Ophelia Lovibond (W1A), Katie Leung (The Nest), Olivia Vinall (Apple Tree Yard), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Harlots), Shalom Brune-Franklin (Our Girl), Pip Torrens (Poldark), Millie Brady (The Last Kingdom) and Danny Ashok (Deep Water).

PBS viewers will be familiar with Hare’s previous efforts writing the screenplay of Page Eight, which starred Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Tom Hughes and Judy Davis.

Roadkill premieres Sunday, November 1 at 9pET/8pCT on PBS’ Masterpiece series. 

In: Drama