It's about the damage that gossip can do...

RACHEL SHENTON AND EMILY ATACK DISCUSS THE DANGERS OF SMALL-TOWN GOSSIP IN THEIR NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA, THE RUMOUR. BY LYNN RUSK

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THERE'S no such thing as harmless gossip and the women at the heart of The Rumour look set to find that out the hard way.

When whispers spread that a notorious child killer is living in a quiet community, fear and suspicion quickly take hold, and the consequences spiral out of control.

Based on the bestselling novel by Lesley Kara, the new psychological drama explores how a single whisper can shatter an entire town.

Rachel Shenton stars as Joanna, a mother who moves to sleepy Flinstead with her young son in search of a fresh start.

But when Joanna hears a chilling rumour about a convicted child killer hiding in plain sight, she shares it in an attempt to bond with the local mums, unwittingly setting off a chain reaction of paranoia and mistrust.

As whispers grow louder and tensions rise, Joanna finds herself caught in a dangerous spiral of secrets, suspicion and blame.

The series also features Rivals star Emily Atack, Amandaland’s Samuel Anderson and Wolf Hall actress Joanne Whalley.

“Joanna is very anxious as a person. She is an overthinker. This is what felt very real about her,” says Rachel, 37, reflecting on her character.

“She has a desperate need to fit in but also knowing that she probably won't and even a little part of her that maybe doesn’t want to.”

Staffordshire-born Rachel, who won an Oscar for her short film The Silent Child, says she was also intrigued by her character’s ordinariness.