ITV has released a first look at its upcoming thriller, Code of Silence, which features a star-studded cast including Charlotte Ritchie (Call the Midwife, You), Andrew Buchan (Black Doves, Broadchurch) and Rose Ayling-Ellis (Ludwig, EastEnders).
The six-parter follows a deaf woman named Alison Brooks, whose lip-reading skills are called upon by the police for a dangerous undercover operation.
The series, which comes to screens on Sunday 18 May, was created by Catherine Moulton (Baptiste, Hijack), who drew on her own experiences with lip-reading and hearing loss. The thriller promises to bring a "fresh and distinctive perspective on the intersection of crime and communication".
© Samuel Dore/Mammoth Screen/ITVFirst look images see Charlotte in the role of DS Ashleigh Francis, alongside Rose as Alison Brooks, Andrew as DI James Marsh and Kieron Moore as gang member Liam Barlow.
So, what can viewers expect?
© Samuel Dore/Mammoth Screen/ITVThe series centres around Alison Brooks, a police canteen worker who has spent years secretly observing conversations. Her life takes a dramatic turn when her exceptional lip-reading skills are called upon by DS Ashleigh Francis (Charlotte Ritchie) and DI James Marsh (Andrew Buchan) to assist in a covert operation.
The synopsis continues: "Alison is tasked with surveilling a dangerous gang as they plot a high-stakes heist, thrusting her into a world of crime, deception, and risk like never before.
© Samuel Dore/Mammoth Screen/ITV"As she deciphers their secret exchanges, Alison becomes an invaluable asset to the case, but the deeper she gets, the more perilous her role becomes. When she crosses paths with Liam Barlow (Kieron Moore), the gang's newest recruit, an unexpected and dangerous bond forms between them, one that threatens to expose her true identity while pulling her further into the criminal world," it continues.
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© ITV1. The Bay
Set in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. Investigator Lisa Armstrong is assigned to support and talk to the families of missing persons. When she discovers a personal connection to a case she's working on, her emotional involvement may cause her to overlook crucial clues.
2. A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story
A dark love story about Ruth Ellis (Lucy Boynton), the last woman to be executed in the UK in the 1950s. The historical crime drama follows her turbulent life as a nightclub manager and her violent relationship with the man she eventually murders.
3. Unforgotten
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4. Out There
Nathan Williams (Martin Clunes), plays a farmer who risks everything to protect his son after he becomes involved with a drug gang. The dark world of county lines drug cartels begins to seep into the family's rural life.
5. Playing Nice
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"Juggling the pressures of undercover work, family struggles, and the fallout of a long-term relationship, Alison must navigate a world of deception and danger, testing her resilience and ultimately reshaping her life forever."
© Samuel Dore/Mammoth Screen/ITVProduced by Joseph Shrubb (Endeavour), the cast also includes Nathan Armarkwei Laryea (The Witcher), Joe Absolom (Doc Martin, A Confession), Beth Goddard (The Serpent Queen, Manhunt), Andrew Scarborough (Emmerdale, Wolfblood), presenter Rolf Choutan, who is making his acting debut, Fifi Garfield (Coffee Morning Club, Deaf Funny) and a cameo appearance by actor, comedian and presenter John Bishop.
Code of Silence comes to ITV1, STV, ITVX, and STV Player on Sunday, May 18.
