ANNA Friel will star in new TV drama Deep Water, based on the Windermere series of novels by Paula Daly, ITV has announced.

The Marcella actress will star opposite Sinead Keenan and Rosalind Eleazar in the six-part emotional thriller, which is set against the backdrop of the Lake District and follows the lives of three complex women who are all struggling to do their best for their families, but face tough choices.

The women are connected by the school gates, each with children around the same age - and Friel will play disorganised mother-of-three, Lisa Kallisto, who juggles her hectic family life with running a business.

Polly Hill, head of drama at ITV, said: “It’s funny, truthful and often outrageous, and should have the audience asking what they would do to hold their own family together.”

Karen Wilson, chief executive officer for production company Kudos, added: “We are thrilled to be working with Anna and ITV on bringing these wonderful books to life and telling stories about modern women in an interesting and beautiful part of rural Britain.”

Filming for the series will begin in the Cumbrian countryside this week.