Season 1 • Episode 2
LatestNow outlaws Elzevir and John deduce that the diamond is hidden in a well at Carisbrook castle prison and bribe the turn-key to let them in, posing as workmen. They find the diamond but Elzevir is shocked by John's ruthlessness when he kills the turn-key, who has threatened to expose them. After attempting to sell the jewel they are captured and sentenced to be sent to the East Indies as slaves. Their ship runs into a violent storm off the coast of Moonfleet and they swim ashore - but the curse of Blackbeard's diamond may still prevent them from resuming normal lives.
Ray Winstone leads a gang of smugglers in our brand new family drama, Moonfleet. Written by Ashley Pharoah (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes), this two-part adaptation of the much-loved John Meade Falkner novel is set in the small Dorset village of Moonfleet. In the story, young John Trenchard (Aneurin Barnard - The Truth About Emanuel, The White Queen) is desperate to join the local band of smugglers led by Elzevir Block (Winstone - The Departed, Hugo, Snow White And The Huntsman). Together they embark on an adventure full of action, friendship, and humour, and hunt for a fabled lost diamond. Their journey takes them from 18th Century Dorset, to the jewellery quarter of The Hague, and on to a gripping, final sea voyage. Newcomer Sophie Cookson joins the cast as John's first love, Grace, who is also the daughter of Moonfleet's anti-smuggling magistrate, Mohune, played by Ben Chaplin
Production
Lush 18th-century Dorset recreated with surprising budget
Acting
Winstone's gruff warmth anchors the whole operation
Costume
Smuggler chic: rough wool, leather, and moral ambiguity
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ashley Pharoah adapted this between Life on Mars and The Living and the Dead, making Moonfleet his unexpected family-friendly pivot.
Falkner's 1898 novel was a childhood favorite of J.R.R. Tolkien, who praised its 'escapist' coastal atmosphere.
GB
