ITV viewers were left wracking their brains over where they recognised Parminder Nagra from before new thriller DI Ray had even started last night.
The channel is going through a real purple patch of successful crime dramas at the moment, with series 3 of The Bay pulling in millions of viewers every week, Grace getting everyone talking with its second series and The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe dramatizing the real life crimes of John Darwin and his wife Anne. And, clearly realising when they're onto a good thing, ITV are launching another drama on Monday, in the form of DI Ray.
With Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio, the exec producer of the new series, hopes are high from both channel bosses and viewers that DI Ray will prove as compelling as the hit BBC drama and Trigger Point which exploded onto Sunday night TV schedules earlier this year.
READ MORE: Is DI Ray a true story? ITV answer burning question about new crime drama
And just like Trigger Pont, had the well known face of Vicky McClure leading its cast, DI Ray has its own famous leading lady - Parminder Nagra.
Who is Parminder Nagra in DI Ray?
Parminder Nagra got her breakthrough role 20 years ago, when she starred alongside Kiera Knightley as Jess Bharma in Bend It Like Beckham. The role saw Parminder become known the world over, as the film earned critical acclaim in the UK and took over $30 million at the US box office.
After starring alongside Anne Hathaway in Ella Enchanted, Parminder tasted more success Stateside when she landed a part in ER, making her debut on screen in the long-running medical drama in 2003 and staying in the cast until 2009. More recently, Parminder, bow 46, Nagra joined the second season of Netflix series 13 Reasons Why as Priya Singh, the new counsellor of Liberty High.
On taking on the role of Rachita Ray, Parminder commented: “I am so looking forward to getting back to the UK after such a challenging time globally to be part of this exciting new project. Written by Maya Sondhi and exec produced by the force that is Jed Mercurio, we are being helmed by an amazing team to bring something special to our story telling landscape.”
