ITV’s Cold Water: Everything We Know So Far

ITV is teasing upcoming thriller Cold Water across its channels – and it looks like an intense ride. Straddling religion, masculinity and murder, here’s everything we know so far.

Cold Water: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

What Will Happen?

In a nutshell, ITV’s head of drama Polly Hill described Cold Water as a ‘brilliant new thriller exploring masculinity, religion and ultimately murder’.

Beginning in London, Cold Water is a six-part thriller led by Andrew Lincoln. He stars as John, an unhappy man shocked to find himself reaching middle age and secretly raging at his repressed life as a stay-at-home dad. His identity crisis comes to a head when he fails to intervene in a violent confrontation in a playground, and John urges wife Fiona (Indira Varma) to join him seeking a new life. She too wants change: the couple’s marriage is fading, as is her success as a chef; she hopes to reignite both with a move to a new place.

They move to an isolated Scottish village called Coldwater – as far away from London as possible. They are quickly acquainted with their new nextdoor neighbour Tommy (Ewen Bremner), a charming, confident man and devoted husband to the local vicar Rebecca (Eve Myles). Somewhat of an oddball and the self-appointed leader of the village’s all male book group, Fiona hates him: she is unconvinced Tommy is all he seems to be. But John is impressed and slightly fascinated.

Despite Fiona’s protestations, John and Tommy’s friendship intensifies. So when Tommy’s dark secrets come to life, John’s life is already intertwined with that of his new friend. And when John’s long-repressed rage comes to a head with disastrous results, he is unexpectedly indebted to Tommy – an unsettling man John now realises he knows nothing about.

Star Eve Myles describes Cold Water as ‘an incredible piece written by the brilliant David Ireland and made by the powerhouse team Sister Productions,’ adding the cast and crew – which includes Passenger director Lee Haven Jones – were ‘superb’. Ireland is best known for his award-winning work as a playwright, but he made his TV debut in 2023 with The Lovers on Sky.

Ireland says penning Cold Water ‘started with a question I was asking myself: where do I want to live – the countryside or the city? Such an innocent beginning, but from it came this dark, funny, twisted thriller,’ adding ‘I hope viewers will find it intoxicating’.

Myles adds Cold Water is ‘a very unique and unusual piece of British television’. She added: ‘All I can say is that it’s a bit Twin Peaks meets Fargo with a sprinkle of Hot Fuzz! An absolute gem of a project.’

The Cast

Andrew Lincoln, Eve Myles, Ewen Bremner and Indira Varma make up the core quartet as John, Rebecca, Tommy and Fiona respectively.

While Lincoln rose to fame on British screens (think This Life, Teachers and Afterlife), he is best known for starring in The Walking Dead, which he has led as Rick Grimes for more than a decade, beginning in 2010.

Lincoln’s co-stars, however, are more common appearances on British TV: Welsh star Myles recently starred in The Crow Girl and has The Guest coming soon on BBC One. Best known for her turn in Game of Thrones, Varma meanwhile most recently starred in Doctor Who and Obsession, with The Other Bennet Sister on the horizon. Bremner completes the cast having recently appeared in Our Flag Means Death, Will and Banished.

Where Was It Filmed?

Cold Water may be set in a fictional village, but filming took place in and around Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow. More specifically, Cold Water was filmed in Dennistoun, Strathaven and Dunlop in July 2024.

Cold Water Release Date

Cold Water is set to launch on ITV1 and ITVX in autumn 2025 – but nothing more specific just yet. Stay tuned for more.