A forthcoming thriller is scheduled to debut on ITV later this week, drawing early comparisons to Stranger Things and garnering praise for its Bafta-winning ensemble.
Passenger delves into the aftermath of a small-town community grappling with the enigmatic vanishing of Katie Wells, a local girl.
Despite Katie’s sudden disappearance barely causing a stir, she reappears unscathed the following day, leaving many baffled.
Riya, the series’ protagonist and a newcomer to the area, takes it upon herself to investigate the incident, only to encounter resistance from the tight-knit townsfolk who prefer to keep the matter buried.
The makers of the show say that what follows, is a:
“Series of strange happenings and increasingly shocking crimes”.
“As things become stranger,” they add, “Riya fights hard to convince the villagers that all is not as it seems. But what are they so afraid of?
“Riya is left confused… all is not as it seems, so can Riya get to the bottom of what’s actually going on?”
Passenger: Cast Revealed
Wunmi Mosaku, known for her role in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, takes on the character of ex-Met Police detective Riya Ajunwa, delving into a series of “bizarre and puzzling crimes.”
David Threlfall, recognized for his role in Shameless, portrays the manager of a local fracking site, facing suspicion from residents as peculiar incidents continue to unfold in the area.The young girl who disappears early in the narrative is portrayed by Rowan Robinson, who also featured in a mysterious role in the 2023 film, A Haunting in Venice.
The rest of the cast includes:
- Jo Hartley (After Life, In My Skin) as Chief Constable Linda Markel
- Sean Gilder (The Gold, Shameless) as Tony Corrigan
- Debbie Rush (Coronation Street, Brassic) as forensic analyst Terry Jackson
- Daniel Ryan (The Bay) as Derek Jackson
- Barry Sloane (Six) as Eddie Wells
- Natalie Gavin (Gentleman Jack) as Joanne Wells
- Nico Mirallegro (My Mad Fat Diary, Rillington Place) as Kane Jackson
- Hubert Hanowicz (This Is Going To Hurt) as Jakub Makowski
Andrew Buchan, recognized for his roles in Broadchurch and Carnival Row, makes his debut as a writer with the six-episode series, marking his first venture into the domain of storytelling.
Back when the drama was originally announced Buchan said:
“I’ve always loved shows where the known collides with the unknown… where you see communities faced with something horrifying and inexplicable, where, as a viewer, you’ve nothing in your kit-bag to explain it.
“When I started writing the scripts, I wanted to create something epic and unknown but also bed it somewhere close to home.
Having grown up in Lancashire it felt like the perfect place for it. We’ll definitely see the residents of Chadder Vale pushed to their limits.”
Passenger: Filming Locations
Passenger unfolds in the fictional northern town of Cheddar Vale, with various real-life locations serving as the backdrop for its intriguing narrative.
The Mercury Hotel in Westhoughton, Bolton, featured prominently in filming, boasting a vintage canteen crafted specifically for the series.
Filming crews ventured to Greenfield, Oldham, where residents were notified of the filming arrangements via letters the previous summer.
The quaint Saddleworth village underwent a remarkable transformation into a bustling film set, capturing scenes along Manchester Road, notably focusing on a solitary house.
Additional filming took place at Haigh Hall in Wigan, creating a wintry ambiance for certain sequences, as reported by Wigan Today.
Scenes were also recorded in Todmorden and Cornholme, Yorkshire, as detailed by the Halifax Courier.
How Many Episodes?
Passenger comprises six episodes, slated for release on both ITV1 and ITVX. The premiere episode aired at 9pm on Sunday, March 24, on ITV1, with the second episode following at the same time on Monday, March 25.
Subsequent episodes will continue to air in these timeslots “over the upcoming weeks.” The drama will also make its debut on BritBox in various regions, including the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.