Adolescence star set for compelling ITV space | UK News

ITV has announced a new space thriller about a lady who vanishes during a Moon mission.

The six-part lunar thriller First Woman options Adolescence star Ashley Walters as Ben Reith, a man who wakes up one morning to uncover that his spouse Claire, performed by Andrea Riseborough, has disappeared without hint, studies the Mirror.

It marks the start of a worldwide news sensation “because Claire is an astronaut crewing the UK’s first moonbase and she’s disappeared into the long lunar night,” according to a synopsis launched by the broadcaster.

It continues: “Claire is the first woman to set foot on the moon. A biologist taking part in a groundbreaking research project, her disappearance throws suspicion on her fellow astronauts and China’s rival base.

“With lots of of 1000’s of miles between them, can Ben uncover the reality behind his spouse’s disappearance?”

Switching between Mission Control in the UK and the lunar surface, the drama is described as a race against time “like no other”, with Ben desperate to be reunited with Claire while the remaining astronauts face mounting pressure.

Ashley, who portrayed Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe in Adolescence, commented: “What an honour to be a half of such a daring and propulsive drama with a group of people that I’ve dreamt of working with. I always need to be a half of initiatives that make us converse and assume exterior the box. This one does just that.”

Co-star Andrea added: “As a child, I dreamed, maybe more than something, of space. Of vacancy and stars, and the vastness of all that those ‘grounded’ mirrored on in verse.”

“This shall be endlessly compelling – I hope – for all who need to journey with us,” she continued. “I can not wait.”

First Woman, which has begun production in Belfast, will be a joint venture between Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, Alcon Television Group and ZDF Germany.

ITV’s director of drama Polly Hill said: “I wished ITV to make this the second I read it. The group that has come on board on and off screen is unbelievable, and a testomony to the great and authentic scripts.”

She went on to promise that viewers would be taken on “an unbelievable journey”.

Creator Lydia Yeoman said: “Set in the thrilling (and as-yet-unexplored) world of non-public space journey, First Woman is a thriller not like anything we have seen.

“This is the story of a marriage put through the ultimate test. It’s rare that you get given the opportunity to tell a story with such ambition and scope, and we’re eternally grateful to Polly at ITV and Alcon for allowing us to do that.”