WESTERN AUSTRALIA TO BECOME THE HOME OF STAN’S NEWEST MYSTERY THRILLER TWO BIRDS

The Stan Original Two Birds will be the first production to film in the brand new Perth Film Studios with pre-production kicking off this week.

March 26, 2026 – Stan, ITV and Screenwest today announced pre-production has commenced on the six-part Stan Original Two Birds. Filming on location in Western Australia, the series is led by BAFTA award winning Sheridan Smith (I Fought The Law, No Return, The Teacher, Mrs Biggs) and will be supported by an incredible Australian cast including Judy Davis (Stan Original Nitram, Mystery Road) and Stephen Peacocke (Five Bedrooms, The Newsreader).

Two Birds is a unique and twisty crime mystery set against the rarely-seen-on-screen landscape of Kalgoorlie, a remote Australian mining town carved from red earth, where rusted shafts and weatherboard pubs fade into endless bush. This harsh, beautiful, and isolating world clings tightly to its secrets.

The series centres on Constable Izzie Cornwell (Smith), who arrives in Dugdale from the UK, hoping for a fresh start, only to have one disastrous misstep pull her into an increasingly tight web of deceit, guilt, and rising danger. In this new take on the red dirt crime genre, our Constable is complicit in the case she is investigating, with her morals compromised and personal burdens driving each turn of the investigation.

The Stan Original Two Birds will be the first production to film in the brand new Perth Film Studios and is supported by the WA Production Attraction Incentive, designed to attract high-quality, globally competitive screen productions to Western Australia. The series is a co-production between Stan and ITV, with international distribution by ITV studios.

The series is estimated to inject more than $17 million into the WA economy and directly employ more than 100 Western Australian cast and crew.

Nine Managing Director of Streaming & Broadcast in Australia, Amanda Laing said: ​ "For more than a decade, we’ve backed bold local stories and the creative talent behind them, building a slate that resonates locally and travels globally. Two Birds is a strong example of that commitment in action, bringing together world-class international partners with Australian creatives, and marking the first production at Perth Film Studios. It reflects the kind of sustained, long-term investment and creative ambition required to grow Australia’s production capability and ensure local stories continue to reach audiences both here and around the world."

ITV's Drama Commissioner Callum Dziedzic said: "From the very first script, it felt like we’d struck gold with Two Birds. Built on an irresistible hook, Helen FitzGerald has crafted a propulsive, twisty thriller with real humanity. Sheridan is perfect in the lead and brings her inimitable warmth and depth to Izzie. We can’t wait for our audience to join her in Dugdale and see the extraordinary scale of the gold mine for themselves."

Executive Producer Patrick Spence said: "Helen FitzGerald has a voice any producer would kill for: unique, challenging and mischievous. We are all so proud to be bringing her work to the screen."

Writer Helen FitzGerald said: "I’ve been dreaming about Izzie Cornwell and Mrs Baxter in my head for years now, they are the most personal characters I have ever created. I asked Griff if we could try for Sheridan and Judy to play them, and he only came back with them both! ‘Two Birds’, indeed. So this really is a dream come true for me."

Sheridan Smith said: "I'm thrilled to be playing the irresistibly complex Izzie Cornwell who is in search of new beginnings in Australia. Helen FitzGerald has created a dream role for me, as Izzie, through no fault of her own, becomes embroiled in a web of secrets and lies. I'm also looking forward to returning to film in Australia and working with the team at AC Chapter One, ITV and STAN, Australia as we bring Two Birds to life."

Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall said: "Screenwest is pleased to be supporting the first production to take place at the brand-new Perth Film Studios. Two Birds is set to be a prestige drama series and we look forward to working with Third Act Stories, AC Chapter One, Stan and ITV. We’re excited to see Perth Film Studios hosting incoming productions like Two Birds, as well as local independent productions over the coming months."

Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk said: "I’m thrilled to announce the first production at the Perth Film Studios, with internationally renowned and celebrated Australian actor Judy Davis. The Two Birds production is estimated to generate $17 million for the State’s economy and employ over 100 local cast and crew. This is all part of the Cook Government’s vision to grow the State’s film industry to help diversify the economy, create local jobs and unlock new opportunities for the creative workforce in Western Australia."

Two Birds will be executive produced by the BAFTA and Peabody Award winning Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs The Post Office, A Spy Among Friends, Stan Original The Hack) through AC Chapter One and produced by Martha Coleman (Stan Original Scrublands: Silver) through Third Act Stories. Written by Helen FitzGerald (The Cry) and Megan Palinkas (Heartbreak High), and directed by BAFTA nominated James Griffiths (The Ballad of Wallis Island, Maternal, Episodes) and Corrie Chen (Stan Original Good Cop/Bad Cop). Stan Executive Producers are Andy Ryan and Donna Chang, alongside ITV’s Callum Dziedzic, James Griffiths, Helen FitzGerald and Luke Speed. Commissioned on behalf of ITV by Director of Drama Polly Hill and Drama Commissioner Callum Dziedzic. Two Birds is a co-production between ITV and Stan, with major production investment from Screenwest and the Western Australian Production Attraction Incentive. Two Birds is produced in association with and distributed internationally by ITV Studios.

The Stan Original Two Birds is currently in pre-production.