Julie Hesmondhalgh to play a rape victim in Broadchurch 3

Julie Hesmondhalgh
(Image credit: PA Archive/PA Images)

Ex Corrie star Julie Hesmondhalgh will be the centre of the new series of Broadchurch when it returns in February

Former Corrie star Julie Hesmondhalgh will play a traumatised rape victim when hit ITV drama Broadchurch returns to TV in February.

Her attack will be the centre of the investigation as DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) has recovered from his heart attack sufficiently to lead it alongside DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman).

The action in the third series of the ITV show picks up three years on from the end of series two, which focused on the trial of the Danny Latimer's killer, Joe Miller (Matthew Gravelle).

Julie, 46, will play rape victim Trish, while The Fast Show’s Charlie Higson is her husband and Sir Lenny Henry will be the boss of the farm shop where she works.

Merlin star Sarah Parish will star as Trish's best friend Cath and Home Fires’ Mark Bazeley, 46, plays Cath’s husband.

Other Broadchurch characters expected to return include vicar Paul Coates, newspaper editor Maggie Radcliffe and Danny’s parents Beth and Mark Latimer.

Writer Chris Chibnall, who has announced that the third series will be the last, said: “I hope it’s a compelling and emotional farewell.”

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Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.