Sheridan Smith to star in ITV’s No Return
David Farnor | On 17, Jul 2021
Sheridan Smith will star in ITV drama No Return.
Sheridan, star of Cilla, Mrs Biggs, The C Word and The Moorside, co-stars with Olivier award winning actor Michael Jibson (Quiz, Isolation Stories) who won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance as King George III in Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton.
The four-part drama is written by Danny Brocklehurst (Brassic, Harlan Coben’s The Stranger, Come Home) and follows Kathy (Sheridan Smith) and Martin (Michael Jibson), their son Noah (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) and younger daughter Jessica (Lily Sutcliffe), a family who are looking forward to an idyllic all-inclusive luxury break in Turkey to enjoy the sun and sea with extended family members – blissfully unaware of the horrific ordeal about to unfold.
Their holiday is a chance to unwind and for Kathy and Martin to spend some much-needed time together. Until unsuspecting Noah accepts a seemingly innocent invitation to a beach party from a fellow holidaymaker, Rosie (Jodie Campbell), who is staying at the same hotel. Suddenly Kathy and Martin’s world spectacularly falls apart when they are left desperately fighting for their son’s freedom against extremely challenging circumstances.
An arrest, an expensive and alien legal system, looming media coverage and resistance from fellow holidaymakers to come to their aid leaves the distraught parents fighting for Noah’s freedom when ironically he should be at school sitting his latest exams.
The series is produced by Nicola Shindler (It’s A Sin, Ridley Road), Richard Fee (The Stranger, Safe) and Brocklehurst, and directed by John Alexander (Grace, Belgravia) and produced by Farah Abushwesha (The Singapore Grip, The ABC Murders).
Completing the cast are Sian Brooke (Stephen, Good Omens, Sherlock) who plays Kathy’s sister Megan, David Mumeni (Sliced, Dead Pixels) who plays Megan’s husband Steve, Philip Arditti (House of Saddam, Black Earth Rising) as Noah’s legal representative Rico Karvalci, Murat Steven (SOKO Stuttgart) as hotel worker Ismail, and Rufus Hound (Trollied) who plays Private Investigator Al Milner.
Richard Fee commented: “We are thrilled to be making No Return for ITV. Danny has such a brilliant way of making an extraordinary situation feel completely relatable, and finding warmth and humour in even the most difficult circumstances. It’s great to be working with the wonderful John Alexander again and we’re excited to be starting production.”
Due to the current travel restrictions in place for Turkey the production team will be filming the drama in Spain, Manchester and Bolton.
Filming is now underway and the series is expected to air in 2022.