Innocent ITV writer Chris Lang
TV

Chris Lang: From comedy beginnings to ITV1 drama success with Unforgotten and Innocent

He used to write comedy!

Innocent writer Chris Lang is famous for creating compelling crime dramas, with addictive plots that leave you wanting more…

But did you know he actually started out in comedy?

Here’s everything you need to know about the man behind ITV1 dramas Unforgotten and Innocent.

Read more: Innocent series 1: Who stars in the ITV drama and what happened? 

Who is Innocent writer Chris Lang?

Chris Lang, 59, is a former actor, turned writer and producer.

The dad-of-three actually trained at RADA and appeared in Drop the Dead Donkey among others.

He stopped acting in the mid-90s in order to fully concentrate on his writing career.

He’s written dozens of TV shows since then.

His latest offering, Innocent series two, airs this week on ITV1.

What else has Innocent writer Chris Lang done?

Chris is undoubtedly best known as the writer, creator and executive producer of critically-acclaimed Unforgotten.

However, he began his career writing comedy for Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith, as well as Gareth Hale and Norman Pace.

He went on to become a television writer with The Bill, and wrote episodes for shows including Casualty, Soldier Soldier, Primeval, Hustle and The Tunnel for Sky Atlantic.

In 2007, he co-formed TXTV through which he now makes much of his original drama.

It was through TXTV that he co-created, wrote and executive produced Innocent, a four-part thriller starring Lee Ingleby and Hermione Norris.

Innocent series one aired in 2018 and was soon commissioned for a second series.

Chris has written all four series of Unforgotten, and is currently in charge of the upcoming series five.

ITV release first trailer for Unforgotten
Cassie and Sunny investigating the murder of Matthew Walsh in Unforgotten series four (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Unforgotten season 5: Creator teases Nicola Walker’s replacement

Unforgotten series five: latest news

Anybody else seriously pining for Unforgotten on ITV1? Us too!

Although DCI Cassie Stuart won’t be back from the dead – we’re still grieving – a fifth series is coming up.

Viewers were heartbroken at the end of series four, when Cassie (Nicola Walker) died.

However, ITV were quick to confirm that a fifth series of Unforgotten has been commissioned.

Sanjeev Bhaskar’s Sunny Khan will return alongside a brand new character.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Chris said of Nicola Walker’s replacement: “I certainly have begun conceiving the character, yeah.

“I’m actually working at the moment. And the script was commissioned before we even aired season four.”

He went on to say that he has a “pretty good” idea of who the new character will be and what “her” story will be.

This confirms that the new character will be a woman.

“It is a new character, yeah,” he said. “It’s not one of the existing team, although they will remain.”

The fifth series is expected to air in 2022.

Innocent airs from Monday 17 May 2021 to Thursday 20 May 2021 at 9pm on ITV1.

What do you think? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Helen Fear
TV Editor