Is Vigil based on a true story? Plot of BBC One drama explained - and is HMS Vigil a real ship

Audiences are getting ready to sink their teeth into BBC’s latest Sunday night thriller, as Vigil is set to take viewers into the murky world of submarine warfare.

The series follows DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones), as she’s helicoptered and locked into a working submarine to investigate foul play on board. She soon finds things a little more mysterious than first thought.

Is Vigil based on a true story?

The short answer is no.

Creator and writer of Vigil, Tom Edge, used artistic licence to tell a fictional story based on real-life issues.

Speaking at a press event for the show, Edge said: “I think over the next 10 years submarine warcraft is going to dominate in a way they haven’t been thought about for a while.”

The show will explore the ethical questions raised by the existence of a nuclear deterrent submarine programme, and the spiralling costs of submarines.

The peace camp in Vigil is inspired by the real-life Faslane peace camp, which is located next to Faslane Naval base in Scotland - the home of the Trident nuclear programme.

The drama series also examines the psychological impact on submariners after being on duty underwater for long periods of time.

Is HMS Vigil a real ship?

HMS Vigil is not a real ship.

Vigil is a fictional Vanguard-class submarine of the Royal Navy.

The Vanguard class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines currently in service with the Royal Navy. They form part of the Trident nuclear programme.

The programme comprises four submarines: Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance.

What does vigil mean?

Vigil means the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary.

The word also means an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits.

What is the plot of Vigil?

Vigil fellows DCI Amy Silva and her team investigating on land and at sea a conspiracy that threatens the very heart of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

The series is set in Scotland and follows the events after a fishing trawler goes missing and a death occurs on-board a Trident nuclear submarine.

When does Virgil start on BBC?

The first episode of Vigil will air on Sunday 29 August on BBC One at 9:00pm.

The second episode will air the following night on Monday 30 August on BBC One at 9:00pm.

The following episodes will air each week on Sunday evenings from then onwards.