TV news: ‘Adolescence’ co-creator returning to Netflix with Kate Winslet and Maxine Peake

By Dan Lawrence

Posted on August 26, 2026

Side-by-side comparison of actors Kate Winslet and Maxine Peake in dramatic roles. On the left, Kate Winslet stands outdoors wearing a dark brown winter coat and black scarf with a serious expression. On the right, a close-up of Maxine Peake wearing oval glasses and looking intently slightly off-camera.

Adolescence co-creator and writer Jack Thorne is returning to Netflix with a new limited series, The Unheard, starring Kate Winslet and Maxine Peake.

Thorne’s drama about teen violence was an incredible success for Netflix last year, sweeping through awards as it made a new star out of Owen Cooper, and confirmed the star status of Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty.

The Unheard will seek to follow that success.

What is ‘The Unheard’ about?

Announced among a huge slate of Netflix UK commissions during the Edinburgh TV Festival, The Undeard is a five-part limited series telling “the story of two sisters (Winslet and Peake) who go on the run after an act of vengeance goes wrong.

“As they are desperately pursued, questions remain: What pushed them to this reckless act? And was it ever their intention to get away with it?”

Directing Thorne’s scripts will be Mounia Akl (Costa Brava, Lebanon), while Winslet joins him as an executive producer.

Graham will also produce with his wife and producing partner Hannah Walters under their Matriarch Productions banner.

Mark Herbert and Emily Feller will executive produce for Warp Films, while Nina Wolarsky will do so for Plan B.

Side-by-side comparison featuring Spider-Man leaping mid-air between New York skyscrapers on the left, and Jack and Rose embracing at the bow of the ship from the film Titanic on the right.

A formidable double act

The synopsis for The Unheard gives insanely strong Thelma & Louise vibes.

A large part of Thelma & Louise being a timeless classic is the incredible acting duo at its centre: Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis.

The Unheard has a similar recipe in Winslet and Peake, two of the strongest British acting talents in modern times.

From Titanic to Avatar: Fire and Ash with Mare of Easttown in between, Winslet has forged a globally recognised career based on fierce dramatic performances.

Peake’s career is littered with characters you want to root for, be it Twinkle in British comedy Dinnerladies, or her British Independent Film Awards-nominated performance as Dottie Achenbach in 2025’s heartfelt hit, I Swear.

It’s easy to see these two slotting into a Sarandon/Davis dynamic, but when will we get to see The Unheard?

While a release date hasn’t been confirmed, production on The Unheard begins in 2027.