Santa Maria reunites The Light in the Hall creatives

A families-focused dark comedy series set in Swansea marks the first partnership between PSBs S4C and ITV.

Produced by Y Golau/The Light in the Hall outfit Triongl, Santa Maria follows two families from different sides of the tracks whose lives slowly become entwined by the actions of ‘saintly but strung-out’ cleaner Maria.

The series will TX in Welsh on S4C in early 2027 before being broadcast in English on ITV and ITVX later that year.

Siân Reese-Williams (Y Golau/The Light in the Hall) leads the cast, which also includes Matthew Gravelle (Steeltown Murders), Hannah Daniel (Cleddau/The One That Got Away) and Richard Harrington (Cleddau/The One That Got Away), among others.

Santa Maria is a Triongl production for S4C and ITVX, and was commissioned for the former by Gwenllian Gravelle, head of film and drama. It is created and written by Siwan Jones (35 Diwrnod). It is directed by The Light in the Hall, God Friended Me and Gotham alum Erin Richards directs and the drama is exec produced for Triongl by Nora Ostler Spiteri, Alexander Spiteri and Gethin Scourfield.

It was also produced with the support of Creative Wales, with equity finance provided by S4Ci’s Commercial Content Fund. Sphere Abacus handles global distribution.

Gravelle said: “Santa Maria explores the striking contrasts of life in Swansea, where two very different worlds exist side by side.

“Set against the city and Mumbles’ iconic blue skies, this deliciously dark comedy-drama captures Swansea in all its diversity; vibrant, complex and unmistakably real.

“We’re incredibly excited to be collaborating with ITV for the first time, alongside outstanding partners, to showcase Welsh storytelling at its best.”

Darren Nartey, head of content acquisitions at ITV, added: “We are very proud to be bringing this fascinating, quintessentially Welsh story to our audiences across ITV, and look forward to it gracing our screens in 2027.”

Exec producers Ostler Spiteri, Spiteri and Scourfield said: “We’ve assembled a brilliant cast and crew to put together a show that is warm, funny and vibrant – a far cry from our usual Welsh noir.”