ITV detective drama The Dark, starring Outlander alum Laura Donnelly, finally has a confirmed release date – and it’s coming up fast.
The new series is an adaptation of a novel by GR Halliday, titled From the Shadows, which is the first of three books to follow the character of detective Monica Kennedy (Donnelly).
The synopsis teases: “When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.
“As paranoia rises, suspicions and secrets are forced into the light, and the locals start to realise that there is a serial killer hidden amongst them.”
If you’re as intrigued as we are, mark your calendars for Sunday 12 July 2026 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, when The Dark premieres. The second episode will follow the very next day on Monday 13 July.
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Donnelly will be well known to lovers of the romantic epic Outlander, having portrayed Jenny Fraser Murray across the first three seasons of the historical drama.
Since then, she’s also taken key roles in Sky’s Britannia, HBO’s The Nevers, Hulu’s Say Nothing and Marvel’s Werewolf by Night, where she played reluctant monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone.
The Dark cast also features Mark Rowley (Trigger Point, The Last Kingdom), Helen Baxendale (Noughts + Crosses, Friends) and Emun Elliott (The Gold, Guilt).
Lena Rae (Call the Midwife) and Nessah Muthy (Grantchester) have penned the adaptation, while Gilles Bannier (Blue Lights) serves as lead director on the new series.
Speaking to the Royal Television Society this week, Donnelly teased of the scripts: “While it has all the suspense and thrills of a detective-serial killer drama, it was so character-based.
“The most important elements seemed to be the relationships between the characters. I was drawn to Monica because she was carrying so much in terms of her past, her family and the way she approaches her work.”
The Dark premieres on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 12 July 2026.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
