Michelle Keegan is back with another Harlan Coben Netflix adaptation, once again filmed here in Manchester.
The Woods is a new eight-episode limited series, adapting Coben’s 2007 novel of the same name.
The chilling new mystery series begins with the disappearance of a young girl, Camille, from summer camp, then flashes forwards 20 years with the body of a man turning up – a man who was believed to have been murdered alongside Camille.
The missing girl’s brother Paul ‘Cope’ Copeland, now a top barrister and devoted single father to ten-year-old daughter Cami, becomes determined to uncover the truth about his sister’s disappearance, uncovering years of lies and family secrets.
It will be adapted for screen by Danny Brocklehurst, following on from the run-away success of previous Netflix series, like Fool Me Once, Run Away, and Stay Close.
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The Woods will star Michelle Keegan, Tom Bateman, Mandeep Dhillon, Pearce Quigley, and more, with filming taking place right across the North West.
The book has previously been adapted for Netflix, but as a Polish language TV series – this time, it’s a thoroughly Northern affair.
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Michelle Keegan to star in The Woods, another new Harlan Coben drama filmed in Manchester. Credit: Netflix / Ben Blackall
Coben said: “It’s one of my most personal novels. Like the story’s hero, Paul Copeland, I worked as a counsellor at a sleepaway camp when I was too young for the job.”
Tom Bateman said: “Harlan Coben’s shows are always such gripping events, so the opportunity to be part of his world is really exciting,.
“The worlds are so rich and interesting to play as an actor because they deal with ghosts and secrets, and they pull the characters into the most unexpected places. I cannot wait to go on the journey with the audience, step by step, as the buried secrets of the story come to light.”
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And Michelle Keegan said: “What’s really exciting for me as an actor is that Lucy is dealing with these deep, personal secrets.
“So, I get to really explore her vulnerability and that emotional push and pull, which just makes the story feel so real and powerful.”
Of the cast for The Woods, Harlan Coben said: “What a thrill I get to collaborate again with the amazing Michelle Keegan [Michelle was the lead in Netflix’s Fool Me Once]. And Tom [Bateman] is such a huge talent and the perfect leading man. You can’t take your eyes off either one of them. They are the ideal Paul and Lucy.”
Netflix hasn’t yet confirmed a release date for The Woods.
Bolton man sets Guinness World Record for most fish fingers eaten in a minute
Emily Sergeant
A man from Bolton has set a very unique world record.
Nathan Davies, from Westhoughton in Bolton, is on a roll – first he won £98,000 on ITV‘s hit gameshow The 1% Club, and now he’s a world record holder.
After telling the show’s host, Lee Mack, that he wanted to break a world record, the 32-year-old has followed through on the promise he made on national television by claiming the title for the most fish fingers eaten in one minute.
The dad-of-two managed to scoff down 15 fish fingers in 60 seconds.
A man from Bolton man has set the Guinness World Record for the most fish fingers eaten in a minute / Credit: Guinness World Record
Nathan chose fish fingers as they’re a staple in his household thanks to his two young boys, and after first testing how quickly he could eat four of them, he decided to go for the official Guinness World Record attempt.
“I decided fish fingers was achievable given that I’ve got a few less formal eating records, so it’s up my street,” Nathan explained of his world record attempt.
Despite his impressive effort though, Nathan admits he was still a little gutted about how many he managed to chow down in the allotted time, adding: “I think I could have done more if I had let them cool down longer, but just happy to have the record.”
Nathan says it’s a ‘bit strange’ to have an official Guinness World Record for eating fish fingers, of all things, but he is ‘very proud’ of it all the same.
And when asked if he was planning to break any more records in the future, Nathan joked: “Not if my wife has any say.”
Featured Image – Guinness World Records
TV & Showbiz
Luke Littler is challenging amateurs to beat him at darts as part of a live Netflix event
Danny Jones
In an unprecedented new sports event in the world of streaming, North West sports star Luke Little is offering people the chance to try and win a game of darts against him live on Netflix.
Best of all, he and the entertainment platform have put up a huge grand prize for anyone who can beat the Warrington wonder.
So, for any of you who fancy yourselves as Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor reincarnated when stepping up to the oche down at the local, or if you’re simply bold enough to throw your name in the hat, you’ll want to pay attention for this one…
Announcing the special one-off sporting event on Netflix later this year, Luke Littler has issued the call-out to see if anyone can best him in a game of 501 in front of millions watching at home.
Quite literally the opportunity of a lifetime for fans of the arrows, this exclusive livestream is like nothing that the media giants have done before.
Having dipped their toes into the likes of live boxing fights over the past few years, they’ve definitely got a few live events under their belt, but this exciting and crucially interactive series of matches feels like something genuinely new for Netflix.
Most notably of all, using the name of the popular darts game played not only live on telly at competitions throughout the year but also at countless pubs across the country to set the prize fee, a prospective winner could potentially win £501k this autumn.
Imagine: half a million pounds for one (admittedly very tough) game of darts.
The only major caveat aside from, you know, him being an absolute phenom and already a serial winner is he also happens to be in the form of his life – his words and virtually everyone else’s.
"This is the best version of myself… I'm playing SO WELL!"
Luke Littler listens to some of the records he's broken in his ridiculous World Matchplay campaign 🤯 pic.twitter.com/EVQSrHxSHf
Having smashed Gerwyn Price to defend his World Matchplay Darts title on Sunday evening, cruising to an 18-9 victory with so many 100+ visits and finishes that he broke the tournament’s record average, which has stood since 2010, anyone who does come up against him is currently praying for a miracle.
Price himself told Sky Sports that the youngster’s performance looked ‘effortless’, quipping, “I hope there’s nobody else like him coming through!”
Still only 19, the local lad is the toughest of tasks for even the best on the pro circuit, but if you still somehow fancy your chances, heats will be taking place in Manchester and London, where the top 20 players will get their shot at the man himself on Friday, 30 October.
You can find out all the important information and sign up right HERE.
For now, why not see just how good Littler is playing at the minute and watch back his highlights from a record-breaking final this weekend?
Not that he’s ever truly cooled off, but he really is on fire at the minute.
Daisy Jackson -
29th April 2026 
