Passenger cast, plot and filming locations explained – all about the ITV drama
Passenger is a new thriller created and written by Andrew Buchan, who is best known for acting in hit TV shows including Broadchurch and The Crown.
Here’s everything you need to know about the cast, locations and how to watch the show.
Who is in the cast of Passenger?
Wunmi Mosaku
Bafta award winner Wunmi stars as the lead protagonist in the show — Detective Inspector Riya Ajunwa.
She has previously appeared in a number of massive movies and TV series, including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Loki (2021-23), Black Mirror (2016-23) and Lovecraft Country (2020).
Speaking about her role, Wunmi said: “We meet Riya at a turning point in life. She’s turning 40 and is a police officer, who feels like a big fish in a small pond.
“She’s from Manchester but lived in London, working in the Met and now she’s in this small, quiet community. She originally came to Chadder Vale to be with her husband’s mother, Sue, who’s not very well.
“She’s now been separated from her husband for four years and she’s still there. He went off with his mum’s carer… Nice guy!
“She’s stuck looking after her Sue, but the question is why? Why did she stay?”
Rowan Robinson
Rowan plays bread factory accountant Katie Wells, who is at the centre of much of the drama in the series.
She has appeared in movies such as A Haunting in Venice (2023), Gym (2022) and Am I who (2022).
Describing her character, Rowan said: “Katie is in a lot of distress throughout the whole series.
“She has a whole ordeal with her boyfriend where she thinks he’s cheated on her – or has he?
“She has 18 her best friend, Mehmet but then something happens to him.
“She also has a very complicated situation with her dad, Eddie Wells played by Barry Sloane, who is entering back into their life.
“She has a lot of aspirations with her career at the same time as this, so she’s in a lot of disarray and there’s a whole lot going on.”
David Threlfall
David plays prescription drug addict and fracking prospector Jim Bracknell.
He is best known for his role in Shameless (2004-13), as well as appearing in films including Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) and Hot Fuzz (2007).
Giving some insight into his part in the show, David explained: “Jim Bracknell was about two when he left Chadder Vale and was brought up in London after his mother and father split up, but has since returned to the area.
“He learned from former business acquaintances down south that fracking is a good thing to get into.
“Jim goes back to Chadder Vale and inhabits his father’s house, who’s not there anymore, he then raises it to the ground and builds a fracking site where he now lives in a caravan.
“He looks like he’s let himself go and a somewhat emotional, but certainly a physical wreck who is addicted to his painkillers. He’s very vulnerable.
“Five years ago, he was attacked, and that man who attacked him, Eddie played by Barry Sloane, is about to be released from prison early.”
Jo Hartley
Jo takes on the role of Chief Constable Linda Markel in Passenger.
She is a staple in British cinema, having appeared in Shane Meadows’ cult classics Dead Man’s shoes (2004) and This is England (2006), as well as the TV spin-offs This is England 86 (2010), 88 (2011) and 90 (2015).
Speaking about her affection for the character she plays, Jo said: “I really do love Linda and it was great to be offered this role because I found that she’s not like any other character that I’ve played before.
“She’s a little bit like the mayor in Jaws, telling the town there’s no sharks and to open the beach. Linda’s very proud and protective of Chadder Vale, she’s smart and unpredictable and knows everything that’s going on.
“She’s a bit of a loner, but I think that she’s pretty well-liked in the community and she’s obsessed with Chadder being the ‘Best Kept Village’.
“Ultimately, I think she’s got good motives and she’s hardy. She doesn’t take messing and she doesn’t miss a trick. I’ve never got to play a copper before, especially not one as bizarre as Linda!”
Other cast members include:
- Daniel Ryan as Derek Jackson
- Barry Sloane as Eddie Wells
- Natalie Gavin as Joanne Wells
- Hubert Hanowicz as Jakub
- Arian Nik as Nish Chowdry
- Ella Bruccoleri as Ali Day
- Matilda Freeman as Lilly Wells
- Nico Mirallegro as Kane Jackson
- Jack James Ryan as John Trowbridge
- Shervin Alenabi as Mehmet Shah
- Sean Gilder as Tony
- Debby Rush as Terry
- Richard Mciver as Jordan
- Clare Burt as Sue
- Tom Lister as Nick
What is Passenger about?
Passenger is set in the close-knoit community of Chadder Vale, where nothing interesting ever happens.
DI Riya Ajunwa is tired of solving petty crimes and taking care of her senile mother-in-law, so when Katie Wells goes missing from the forest in the middle of the night, Riya hopes the case can bring some much-needed excitement into her life — until Katie shows up safe and sound 24 hours later.
But Riya smells a rat and has some unanswered questions: Where did Katie go? Why is she being so cagey about what happened in the forest? Why are young people connected to the fracking site and old tree on the outskirts of town disappearing? Is it all connected to Katie’s father, Eddie Wells, who’s just been release from prison?
Eddie and his nervous brother are definitely hiding something…
Where was Passenger filmed?
Passenger was filmed in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England.
Speaking about the shooting locations, Daniel Ryan, who plays Derek Jackson, said: “When you go to some of these locations, and you don’t know whether it’s the design of the show or whether they’ve just found this extraordinary location.
“I love my bread factory, which is a surprising location. It’s an old department store. But the work that they’ve done to make it completely and utterly believable is fantastic.
“We were all breathing in flour for two weeks while we were there. I mean, you wouldn’t ever question that it wasn’t a real bread factory.
“A lot of my locations have been indoors, but within beautiful, beautiful surroundings.”
How can I watch Passenger?
The first episode of Passenger is being broadcast at 9pm on Sunday, March 24 on ITV1 and ITVX.
The second episode airs during the same time slot on Monday, March 25.
The remaining episodes will be shown at the same time “across the following weeks”.