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

- By Lynn Rusk

HERE'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.