By Flora Carr

Published: Monday, 14 March 2022 at 12:00 am


ITV crime drama Holding arrives on our screens this Monday (14th March), adapted from Graham Norton’s novel of the same name and starring Conleth Hill (Game of Thrones) as a local police officer in a sleepy town.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com for his extended Big RT Interview, Holding’s Conleth Hill revealed that he first read Graham Norton’s bestseller before being offered the role of PJ Collins, and the “anti-hero” aspect of the character appealed to him “as a reader, not not even as an actor”.

Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Karen Cogan adapted the novel, with Dominic stating: “It’s so exciting to be able to bring Graham’s beautiful novel to the screen with the creative powerhouses that are [director] Kathy Burke and Karen Cogan, with the brilliant Martina Niland producing.

“To be writing my first scripts alongside Karen and to film with Conleth and such a talented Irish cast and crew in West Cork — where my father was from and my family still are — makes this even more special.”

However, just how much of the ITV series Holding stays true to the book, and how much has been changed or developed for the screen?

What are the differences between ITV’s TV show Holding and the book?

Graham Norton has opened up about the differences between ITV’s Holding and his own novel of the same name.

Speaking at a press event attended by RadioTimes.com, Norton revealed the “biggest change” between his book and the ITV adaptation.

“I think the biggest change – the best opening of or finding depth was in the Ross sisters, I think. My Ross sisters were much more constrained and I think they’ve been fully developed, those three women now, they each – each one of them could have their own show. We know them that well, and they’re not like that in the book,” he revealed.

In the series, Charlene McKenna plays the charismatic Evelyn Ross, who had a fling with local legend Tommy Burke while he was engaged to Bríd Riordan (Siobhan McSweeney). However, when human remains are found – suspected to be Burke after he disappeared years prior – both women are placed under suspicion.