Ridley is an ITV detective drama that will see Adrian Dunbar making his return to the world of crime drama after his beloved turn as Ted Hastings in Line of Duty.
Inspired by real-life retired detectives going back to work as police consultants, Ridley sees Dunbar taking center stage as Alex Ridley, who is drawn back into his old line of work by his former mentee. The series was co-created by Paul Matthew Thompson (Vera) and Jonathan Fisher (Blood, Hollington Drive).
Here’s everything you need to know about Ridley.
Ridley release date
Ridley was billed as a big part of ITV's Autumn TV schedule, and they've now confirmed that the series will begin airing on Sunday, August 28 at 9pm.
As soon as we hear anything about an international release, we'll be sure to update this guide again.
How many episodes of Ridley will there be?
Ridley’s first series will be four episodes long, and each episode will be two hours long.
We don't yet know whether the series will be renewed for a second season.
Ridley cast
Adrian Dunbar is set to star in Ridley as the namesake hero, retired Detective Inspector Alex Ridley.
Ridley is an accomplished homicide detective whose career has been cut short as he’s been nudged into retirement after a 25-year career, a move he’s not overly happy with.
Adrian said: "I don’t think I’ve ever headed into a production with more excitement and enthusiasm.
"As an actor I know how rare it is to be given such a wonderful opportunity, and the combination of Polly Hill and Chloe Tucker at ITV and Jonathan Fisher at West Road Pictures means we are in both safe and creative hands."
Starring opposite Adrian Dunbar is Unforgotten star Bronagh Waugh, who plays his former protégée, DI Carol Farman.
Further Ridley cast includes Terence Maynard (Coronation Street) as DCI Paul Goodwin, George Bukhari (Years and Years) as DC Darren Lakhan, and Georgie Glen (Call the Midwife) as pathologist Dr. Wendy Newstone.
What’s the plot?
DI Ridley is contacted by his former mentee, Acting DI Carol Farman. She enlists her mentor as a police consultant on a complex and compelling murder case which takes a dark, unexpected turn.
Carol wants to access Ridley’s unique crime-solving insight and asks him to return to policing. Together, they'll form a partnership and try to solve a series of intriguing cases.
Writer Paul Matthew Thompson commented: “I am thrilled to be working with Jonathan Fisher and West Road Pictures to bring Ridley to life for ITV. Equally delighted that he’ll be portrayed by the iconic Adrian Dunbar.
“With his maverick idiosyncrasies, a heart on sleeve empathy and a unique approach to solving crime we hope Ridley will soon join the canon of favourite TV detectives.”
We've now got a synopsis that gives us a solid idea of what to expect in episode one. It reads: "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 Lindsay's abduction. As they delve deeper, they uncover another body, and a shocking secret."
Is there a trailer?
ITV still hasn't released a full trailer for Ridley just yet, but they have released a short teaser on social media which gives teases a few details from the first case. Check it out below:
CONFIRMED: our new series #Ridley starts at 8 pm on Sunday 28th August on @ITV, starring Adrian Dunbar and @bronaghwaugh pic.twitter.com/DVBAyZV78YAugust 18, 2022
