Passenger: Release date, trailer and latest news for ITV drama

But when a series of "strange and inexplicable crimes" start catching her eye, she's more confused at the lack of urgency the townsfolk have when it comes to getting to the bottom of these weird happenings.

Small towns with confusing energy are a recipe for TV success, as demonstrated by the likes of Twin Peaks, Happy Valley and even more recently, True Detective: Night Country.

This new ITV series also marks the screenwriting debut of actor Andrew Buchan, who is known for his roles in Broadchurch, Better and Garrow's Law.

Writing in an exclusive piece for RadioTimes.com, Buchan revealed that "acting is still where my heart is, but writing is something I've been burning to do for years."

He also wrote: "I wanted to create a fictional northern community and puncture it with something obscure and other-worldly, something that would detonate as much humour as possible and push their reactions to the limit."

With that, read on for everything you need to know about Passenger.

Passenger release date

The new six-part series will premiere on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 24th March at 9pm. The second episode will then follow on Monday 25th, with the rest of the episodes airing across the following weeks.

If you're keen to binge-watch the series in one go then there's good news as the entire series is available to watch on ITVX from Sunday 24th March.

Passenger cast

Led by BAFTA award-winning Wunmi Mosaku as Riya, the cast for Passenger boasts plenty of familiar faces including Shameless's David Threlfall as fracking site manager Jim Bracknell, Jo Hartley (After Life) as Chief Constable Linda Markel and Arian Nik (The Bay) as Nish Chowdry.

Further cast members include Call the Midwife's Ella Bruccoleri, Coronation Street's Jack James Ryan and Nico Mirallegro, who is best known for his roles in Hollyoaks and My Mad Fat Diary.

The confirmed cast list for Passenger is as follows:

• Wunmi Mosaku as Riya Ajunwa
• Rowan Robinson as Katie Wells
• David Threlfall as Jim Bracknell
• Jo Hartley as Chief Constable Linda Markel
• Arian Nik as Nish Chowdry
• Ella Bruccoleri as Ali Day
• Jack James Ryan as John Trowbridge
• Nico Mirallegro as Kane Jackson
• Daniel Ryan as Derek Jackson
• Barry Sloane as Eddie Wells
• Natalie Gavin as Joanne Wells
• Sean Gilder as Tony Corrigan
• Debbie Rush as Terry Jackson
• Hubert Hanowicz as Jakub Makowski
• Matilda Freeman as Lilly Wells
• Shervin Alenabi as Mehmet Shah

What is Passenger about?

The new series has been produced by Northern Sister, which is part of Sister group, who is behind hit dramas like This Is Going To Hurt and Chernobyl.

Passenger also marks the screenwriting debut for Andrew Buchan, who has most recently been seen on our screens in Better and Carnival Row, so knows a thing or two about a good drama.

As per the synopsis: "In the small Northern village of Chadder Vale, a close-knit community is sent spinning on its axis following a series of strange and unnatural crimes.

"After arriving there five years ago, Former Met Police Detective Riya Ajunwa has been searching for that ‘one big crime’, that one challenge that will make her feel alive again.

"Then one night local girl, Katie Wells is mysteriously abducted. Her car is found abandoned and there are traces of blood on the seats. But the village barely has time to register Katie’s disappearance before she reappears the next day, safe and sound."

The synopsis continues: "The rest of the villagers ask few questions and life resumes as normal. But for Riya, a relative outsider to the Chadder Vale way of life, none of this sits right.

"As a series of strange happenings and increasingly horrific crimes start unfolding within the village, the residents start resorting to short-sighted theories and blaming outside influences. Riya fights hard to convince the villagers that all is not as it seems. And before long she is drawn into a universe unlike anything she has ever seen."

Is there a trailer for Passenger?

There is! The recently released trailer gives us a taste of the small town nature of Cheddar Vale and how Riya is trying her hardest to investigate a string of cases she fears are connected.

You can watch the trailer for Passenger below.

Passenger will launch on ITV1 and ITVX from Sunday 24th March. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

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