'Chilling' 3-part crime thriller The Ice Cream Girls is your next binge-watch


The Ice Cream Girls stars Martin Compston, who plays Steve Arnott in Line of Duty


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Abby AllenTV writer
July 16, 2025
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ITVX has just dropped a chilling new crime thriller with Line of Duty star Martin Compston – and it's a strong contender for your next binge-watch. 

The Ice Cream Girls originally aired on ITV in 2013, and is based on the bestselling book by Dorothy Koomson. The novel was hailed as "a gripping, emotional thriller" and was shortlisted for the popular fiction category in the 2010 British Book Awards.

The three-part miniseries follows two teenage girls accused of murdering their schoolteacher. While one is acquitted, the other is convicted. 

Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: "I've never seen Martin Compston in a bad drama, and this three-part series based on Dorothy Koomson's gripping novel sounds like the perfect one-night binge."

Intrigued? Read on for more details…

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What is The Ice Cream Girls about?

Set in Brighton in 1995, the show follows teenagers Serena Gorringe (Lorraine Burroughs) and Poppy Carlisle (Jodhi May), who are accused of murdering their school teacher, Marcus Hansley (Martin Compston).

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The accusations come after the girls are involved in a bout of violence and sexual abuse. 

After a gruelling trial, Serena is acquitted while Poppy is convicted of murder. 

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The girls go on to lead very separate lives – Poppy's family turn their backs on her, leaving her to live out her sentence alone. 

Meanwhile, Serena marries Evan (Nicholas Pinnock), her university sweetheart, and has a daughter, Verity (Dominique Jackson).

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After 17 years, Poppy and Serena are unexpectedly brought together in a reunion that forces them to confront both each other and the dark past that continues to haunt them. 

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Who stars in The Ice Cream Girls?

The two leading ladies of The Ice Cream Girls are Jodhi May (Game of Thrones, The Other Boleyn Girl) as Poppy Carlisle and Lorraine Burroughs (Top Boy, DCI Banks, Lip Service) as Serena Gorringe. 

Meanwhile, Vigil and Line of Duty's Martin Compston plays their schoolteacher Marcus Hansley.

Other cast members include Nicholas Pinnock (For Life, Marcella, Top Boy) as Evan Farley, Georgina Campbell (Murdered by My Boyfriend, Black Mirror, Broadchurch) as Young Serena Gorringe, Holli Dempsey (Harlots, Derek) as Young Poppy Carlisle and Dominique Jackson (Hollyoaks) as Verity "Vee" Farley.

© ITV/Shutterstock

What have critics said about The Ice Cream Girls?

While reviews for the show largely flew under the radar, The Guardian called it "not just your bog-standard thriller" – emphasising its ITV-style drama. 

It also praised the show for having "plenty of intrigue" and concluded: "It's enthralling enough for me to want to know what happens, or rather what happened 17 years ago." 

The Ice Cream Girls is available to watch on ITVX for free with ads.

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