The Witch Farm - Haunting First Look

There’s something particularly unsettling about a ghost story when you know it is rooted in real events. That is exactly what makes the BBC’s upcoming drama The Witch Farm so intriguing.

The new four-part series takes viewers into the Welsh countryside and into one of the country’s most talked-about alleged hauntings. Set in 1989, it follows a young family who leave London behind in search of a quieter life, only to discover that their new home may be hiding something far more disturbing.

With Uncanny creator Danny Robins behind the drama, The Witch Farm looks set to blend psychological tension, supernatural mystery and the question that has kept audiences debating Robins’ work for years: what if there really is something out there?

The BBC has now released the first-look images from the series, giving viewers their first glimpse of the unsettling world that awaits.

Credit: Liz (Gabrielle Creevy), Bethan (Sian Gibson); Bill (Michael SochaI) (Image: Simon Ridgway/Mammoth Screen/BBC)

What is The Witch Farm about?

The Witch Farm follows Bill and Liz Rich, played by Michael Socha and Gabrielle Creevy, who decide to leave their London life behind and start again in rural Wales. Along with their teenage son Jonathan (played by Lewin Lloyd) they move into Heol Fanog, an isolated farmhouse sitting in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons.

Initially, the move appears to offer exactly what they wanted. Away from the noise and pressures of London, the family can begin again in the countryside. But their dream home soon starts to feel very different.

Credit: Bill (Michael Socha); Max (Edward Holcroft). (Image: Simon Ridgway/Mammoth Screen/BBC)

Strange things start to happen round the farmhouse, and Liz becomes convinced that she has seen a mysterious figure. Rather than being an isolated incident, the unsettling experiences gradually escalate, leaving the family questioning exactly what is happening inside their new home.

The more Bill and Liz try to make sense of the events, the deeper they become drawn into the history of the property and the land surrounding it. And there's another problem.

As fear begins to take hold, their relationship is placed under increasing pressure. What starts as a search for answers becomes a much more personal battle over trust, belief and whether either of them can be certain of what they are experiencing.

Is The Witch Farm based on a true story?

Yes, the series has been inspired by the reported haunting of the real farmhouse at Heol Fanog and by the accounts, theories and investigations explored in Danny Robins’ BBC Radio 4 podcast The Witch Farm.

Credit: Eddie Burks (Jeremy Swift). (Image: Simon Ridgway/Mammoth Screen/BB

The original podcast examined the experiences of Bill and Liz Rich, who moved to the remote Welsh property in 1989. Their time there was reportedly marked by a series of strange and disturbing incidents, with the story eventually becoming one of the UK's most notorious alleged hauntings.

Robins’ podcast approached the case from several different angles, bringing together first-hand accounts with investigation and discussion about possible explanations.

Credit: Bill (Michael Socha) (Image: Simon Ridgway/Mammoth Screen/BBC)

The television series takes the reported events as its starting point, but has also developed the characters and story for dramatic purposes. That means The Witch Farm should perhaps be viewed as an interpretation of the case, rather than a literal reconstruction of everything that happened.

Who stars in The Witch Farm?

Gabrielle Creevy takes on the role of Liz Rich, whilst Michael Socha plays her husband Bill.

Creevy will be familiar to viewers from Black Doves and The Guest, whilst Socha has appeared in the likes of Showtrial and The Cage.

Credit: Liz (Gabrielle Creevy). (Image: Colin Hutton/Mammoth Screen/BBC)

The couple are joined by Lewin Lloyd as Jonathan, Bill's teenage son and the supporting cast also includes Sian Gibson, Jeremy Swift and Robert Pugh, with Edward Holcroft appearing as a sceptical investigator.

Who created The Witch Farm?

The series has been written and created by Danny Robins, the writer and creator behind Uncanny. For anyone who's followed Robins' work, The Witch Farm will feel like a natural progression.

Credit: Danny Robins, creator and executive producer (Image: Simon Ridgway/Mammoth Screen/BBC)

His BBC podcast Uncanny became hugely popular by examining allegedly supernatural experiences whilst deliberately refusing to simply dismiss them or accept them as fact. Instead, the format asks listeners to consider the evidence and make up their own minds.

When will The Witch Farm air?

The Witch Farm is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer, although the BBC has not yet confirmed an exact transmission date.