‘Broadchurch’ Star Andrew Buchan Behind ITV Drama ‘Passenger’

Broadchurch star Andrew Buchan is turning his hand to writing with a darkly comic ITV/BritBox International horror from Jane Featherstone and Elisabeth Murdoch’s Sister.

Passenger is set in the small Northern English village of Chadder Vale, where a close-knit community is sent spinning on its axis following a series of strange and unnatural crimes. After arriving there five years ago, former Met Police Detective Riya Ajunwa has been searching for a challenge that will make her feel alive again, which she is handed when a local girl is mysteriously abducted.

Buchan has featured in several big-hitting British dramas including Broadchurch, The Honourable Woman and ABC Murders and the project is his first writing gig. ITV is similarly behind Vigil star Suranne Jones’ debut creation.

Passenger will premiere on new ITV VoD player ITVX before being given a linear slot further down the line, demonstrating the network’s on-demand strategy. The show will air outside the UK on BritBox International in certain territories and be distributed by All3Media International.

ITV Head of Drama Polly Hill said: “Andrew Buchan’s brilliant scripts take us into a tight-knit Northern community where the Detective Sergeant Riya Ajunwa, an outsider to the town, has to investigate the strange happenings that are genuinely monstrous. I’m excited to be making this and working once again with Jane Featherstone and Sister on a drama that can continually surprise an audience in this very original story.”

BritBox International Chief Creative Officer Diederick Santer said: “We at BritBox International are thrilled to be working on this brilliant series with Andy, Sister and ITV. When I first read Andy’s script, I felt a real shiver of suspense and mystery that I can’t wait to share with our audiences all over the world.”

Jane Featherstone and Lucy Dyke are exec producing for Sister.