A new British mystery drama, The Wives, which is set and filmed in Malta, premiered on Monday evening to mixed reviews.

The six-part thriller, which is being broadcast on the UK's Channel 5, was filmed across 10 weeks last winter.

Scenes were shot on various locations including Golden Bay and the Radisson Blu Resort and Spa that overlooks the beach, while the trailor shows aerial scenes of Valletta and Mellieħa.

International producers can apply for a cash rebate of up to 40%, with TV productions looked upon more favourably if they feature Malta. 

The plot is the story of the Morgan family, who visit Malta every year for a holiday until one of them goes missing. It centres around the sisters-in-law, hence the title. 

It stars well-known British television actors Jo Joyner (EastEnders, Ackley Bridge), Angela Griffin (Waterloo Road, White Lines) and Tamzin Outhwaite (New Tricks, The Tower).

Stars praise ‘gorgeous’ Malta

In an interview on ITV's This Morning show on Monday, Outhwaite, Joyner and Griffin spoke about the new drama and described it as a “feminine feast of friendship and fatalities”.

The stars said they spent 10 weeks filming in Malta from February, with Outhwaite describing how she had to film a scene swimming in a “freezing” pool.

“It was absolutely freezing, not heated (…) I tried to treat it like cold water therapy,” she said. 

Griffin described Malta as "so beautiful,” while Outhwaite said “the architecture is amazing” and praised the Maltese crew. 

Joyner said she has grown fond of the country after her second time filming in Malta. 

“The food, the vibe, the culture, the people are so friendly, we had a great time,” she said.

One particular scene of The Wives, where character Sylvia (Tamzin Outhwaite) shares a Maltese platter and a cool glass of Cisk. Credit: Channel 5

'Cracking stuff' or 'Soap Opera crap'

Following last night's premiere of the episode, viewers had mixed reviews of the new drama.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, some praised it as gripping.

“Loving The Wives! Got a feeling that nothing is what it seems and I can’t wait to watch it unravel," one fan wrote on X.

“Three strong women who are intelligent and want to have fun. What’s not to like." another said.

"Enjoyed it and looking forward to it becoming even more mysterious.”

Another eagle-eyed viewer spotted the beach as Golden Bay but warned people it is "actually packed in summer". 

Others were not so positive. 

"Soap Opera crap, unlikeable characters, perfect for a Monday evening," one wrote. 

“The writing hasn’t got any better. The clunky exposition dumps are painful," another tweet read. 

One critic on the British newspaper The i  described The Wives as "unwatchable" and "slapdash".

The show was written and created by Helen Black with episodes by Ciara Conway and Jamie Jackson.

It was reported to have drawn inspiration from Daphne du Maurier’s novel ‘Rebecca’.

It will be broadcast on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 pm on Channel 5 witht he finale broadcast on 25 September.