The Madame Blanc Mysteries is a British cosy crime comedy drama television series, produced by Saffron Cherry Productions, which is broadcast on Channel 5 and Acorn TV. The series, written by and starring Sally Lindsay and Sue Vincent, concerns an antiques dealer, Jean White, originally from Cheshire, who helps solve an array of mysteries in the fictional village of Sainte Victoire in the south of France, inspired by the French village of Vauvenargues, Bouches-du-Rhône.
The series premiered on 16 October 2021, and includes Robin Askwith, Steve Edge and Sue Holderness amongst the supporting cast. Following broadcast, the series became one of the most popular new shows on Channel 5, with episodes averaging around 2.5 million viewers. The first series was also released on DVD on 13 December 2021. The series' signature theme, "Passing Through", was written specifically for the show by Lindsay's husband Steve White.
Successful antiques dealer husband and wife Jean and Rory White (Sally Lindsay and Peter Gaynor) live in a sleepy village in Cheshire, England, but own a cottage in the village of Sainte Victoire in the south of France. When Rory is killed in a car crash in Sainte Victoire, Jean realises all her assets have been pawned off, leaving her penniless. She then travels to France to unravel the mystery of her husband's death, his missing valuable ring, and the identity of the woman with whom her husband was having an affair; solving other mysteries along the way with the help of local taxi driver Dom (Steve Edge), local chateau owners Judith and Jeremy (Sue Holderness and Robin Askwith) and the local Chief of Police, Caron (Alex Gaumond).
Each episode features its own individual mystery, and several guest stars, such as Paul O'Grady and Les Dennis appearing in one-off roles, and Tony Robinson as a recurring character in Series 3.
The series was officially announced in January 2021 under the title The Reluctant Madame Blanc with casting released later in the year. Although set in the South of France, the series was actually filmed in Malta, mainly on the island of Gozo. The village of Sannat was the setting for "Sainte Victoire" in the first series; subsequent series were set in Gçarb.
Season 3 was 100% shot in Malta: on Gozo and in Valletta, taking advantage of the 40% Cash Rebate offered to filmmakers by the Malta Film Commission. Season 3 total budget was â¬5,319,052, with â¬5,063,689 spent in Malta. Season 3 total employment was 107 individuals, with 86 individuals local to Malta, and 21 individuals from abroad.