Acorn TV's Newest Mystery, 'Mrs Sidhu Investigates,' Finds a Premiere Date

September will be a mystery-heavy month, led by the PBS lineup of Professor T Season 2, Van der Valk Season 3, and Unforgotten Season 5. While Sanjeev Bhaskar solves a new crime this season with a new partner on the fifth season of PBS' beloved series, his real-life wife will also be getting into the TV mystery game. Comedian Meera Syal, who is one of the best-known South Asian TV personalities on British TV, rose to fame on Goodness Gracious Me (where she met Bhaskar, who also starred in the series) and The Kumars at No. 42. Now she's bringing her radio series Mrs. Sidhu Investigates to Acorn TV.

The radio series was initially conceived by The Kumars writer Suk Pannu along with Syal and launched on BBC Radio 4 in 2017 with Syal as the titular Mrs. Sidhu. Her amateur detective is "a caterer from Slough with a highly active imagination and her own Indian Aunty brand of crime solving, A.K.A. nosiness," according to the BBC Radio site. The audio drama ran two series consisting of four half-hour installments each, titled "Murder with Masala" and "Mrs Sidhu's Dangerous Highland Game."

The TV version, which once again was spearheaded by Pannu and Syal, will run four feature-length episodes, each consisting of a stand-alone mystery, ranging from death at a health club, murder at a cosplay convention, tech company troubles, and boxing. Check out the trailer.

Here's the series synopsis:

Mrs. Sidhu is a high-end caterer with a taste for crime. Recently widowed, she juggles her new catering business with encouraging her wayward son Tez to find his passion, all while serving up justice to those who believe they are above the law. Her forays into sleuthing see her form an unofficial partnership with long-suffering divorcee DCI Burton who reluctantly accepts that together they’re an unbeatable crime-fighting duo, much to the bemusement of his partner, DS Mint. 

Syal costars with Craig Parkinson (Line of Duty), who plays her not-so-willing partner in solving crime, the world-weary DCI Burton. The show's cast also includes Gurjeet Singh (Ackley Bridge) as Tez and Naana Agyei-Ampadu (Industry) as DS Mint. Series creator Pannu penned two episodes along with Vivienne Harvey (Harlots) penning the other two, and Syal is credited as providing additional material. Directors Steve Barron (The Durrells) and Ben Kellett (Death in Paradise) split helming duties.

Syal and Pannu are executive producers alongside Steve Barron, Catherine Mackin, and Bea Tammer for Acorn Media Enterprises; Jane Wallbank, Alison Owen, Debra Hayward, and Alison Carpenter for Monumental Television; and Gordon Kennedy for Absolutely Productions. 

Mrs. Sidhu Investigates Season 1 premieres on Monday, September 18, and will run one episode a week through October 9, 2023.