Ridley: ITV release date of new series, cast with Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar and Bronagh Waugh, trailer

Ridley, a new detective drama starring Adrian Dunbar, is coming to ITV on Sunday 28 August.

The series, which is made up of four two-hour episodes, follows a retired detective returning to his old precinct to consult on an unsolved cold case.

Here’s everything you need to know about Ridley.

What is Ridley about?

Alex Ridley is a retired detective inspector, growing increasingly restless with his newfound free time and trying to avoid facing his grief after the deaths of his wife and child.

The official ITV synopsis explains that “when a local farmer is found dead, Ridley is called on by his ex-colleague and newly promoted DI Carol Farman to assist on a missing persons case that remains unsolved after 13 years. Ridley always suspected the investigation was flawed, and that the wrong man was tried for Hannah’s Lindsay’s abduction. As they delve deeper, they uncover another body, and a shocking secret.”

Though the series is not based on a true story, it is loosely inspired by a real life phenomenon of retired detectives returning to policework as consultants.

Who stars in Ridley?

Adrian Dunbar plays Alex Ridley, the retired detective returning as a consultant. Dunbar is probably best known for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace… no, not really, you know him from Line of Duty. You didn’t float up the lagan on a bubble, you know.

Bronagh Waugh plays DI Carol Farman, Ridley’s former protégé and now his replacement. Waugh has appeared in a run of different crime dramas and thrillers, like Des, Viewpoint, Strike, and Our House, but she’s probably best known for appearing as Sally-Ann Spector in The Fall and as Cheryl in Hollyoaks.

Julie Graham also appears in the series, playing a regular patron at Ridley’s favourite jazz bar. In recent years, Graham has starred in Shetland, Penance, and Doctor Who amongst a number of other series.

They’re joined by Terence Maynard (Time, Coronation Street) as DCI Paul Goodwin, George Bukhari (Years and Years, The A Word) as DC Darren Lakhan, Georgie Glen (The Crown, Call the Midwife) as pathologist Dr Wendy Newstone.

Who writes and directs Ridley?

The series was co-created by Paul Matthew Thompson, one of the lead writers of Vera, and Jonathan Fisher, a producer on Blood, Hollington Drive, and Penance.

Bryn Higgins (Black Mirror: The Waldo Moment) directs episodes 1 and 4, Noreen Kershaw (Compulsion, Call the Midwife) directs episode 2, and Paul Gay (Vera) directs episode 3.

Is there a trailer for Ridley?

Yes, there is! Production company West Road Pictures shared the below trailer on their twitter page.

When is Ridley being released on ITV?

Ridley begins on ITV at 8pm on Sunday 29 August, with new episodes airing weekly.

You’ll also be able to watch Ridley on the ITV Hub.

How many episodes is Ridley?

There are four episodes in the first series of Ridley, each around two hours long.

Will there be a second series of Ridley?

There’s been no official confirmation as of yet, but both Dunbar and Thompson have spoken about being open and willing to return for future series.

If there is going to be another series of Ridley, it’ll likely be announced after the fourth episode airs.

Why should I watch Ridley?

It’s one to watch if you’re a fan of Adrian Dunbar playing detectives, or if you’ve been enjoying this recent run of two-hour mystery dramas on ITV.