Trigger Point: Everything To Know Before Tuning Into Vicky McClure’s Bomb Disposal Drama

After a high performing first series in 2022 (it was ITV’s top drama of the whole year, averaging 9.5 million viewers per episode), Trigger Point is finally back on our screens. Here’s everything you need to know before you tune in – or if you need a refresher.

Trigger Point

Vicky McClure as Lana Washington and Adrian Lester as Joel Nutkins in Trigger Point series 1. © ITV

Series 1 Recap

Spoilers ahead… The first series of Trigger Point introduced us to the Expo officers in the Metropolitan Police Bomb Disposal Squad, who risk their lives daily in the face of danger. Our focus is on Lana Washington (Vicky McClure), aka ‘Wash’, an ex-military bomb disposal operative (known as an ‘Expo’) and Afghan War veteran who heads a Met Police bomb squad, using her skills to counter terrorist threats. As a series of attacks kick off in London, Lana works on the front line with her colleague and best friend Joel Nutkins (Adrian Lester) to combat them, working against the clock to save as many lives as possible. After Lana and Joel manage to manually disarm a bomb, Joel helps to investigate a suspicious parked van, which detonates a third bomb, killing Joel and several bystanders.

The drama and tension doesn’t end there and, though crippled with grief, Lana and her colleagues must continue to respond to further bomb threats, taking them across London and putting them in touch with some shifty characters. It all culminates at a by-election in Deptford, when Lana’s friend, Karl Maguire, takes to the stage and reveals to have a bomb on him when Labour’s candidate is announced as the winner. Karl intends to get revenge on Labour for the coverup of an ambush in Afghanistan in 2009; the Labour candidate, Aleysha Campbell-Khan, was the chair of the Defence Select Committee at the time, who he blames for the coverup. Lana’s team manages to shoot and kill Karl in the final tense moments.

Vicky McClure as Lana Washington and Mark Stanley as DCI Thom Youngblood in Trigger Point series 2. © ITV

What Will Happen In Series 2?

Vicky McClure will return as Lana in the second series of Trigger Point, with six tense episodes in the pipeline. ‘In episode one, Lana is back from secondment in Estonia, training Ukrainian bomb disposal teams, but has not yet returned to active duty,’ ITV says. ‘She is giving a routine talk to security officers from major financial institutions about the issues surrounding bomb centred terrorism, when there is a bomb attack in the heart of the city. Lana is closest to the incident, but is she ready to take it on?’

‘After such a great response to the first series of Trigger Point, we are so pleased to be back!’ series lead Vicky McClure said on the announcement of series 2. ‘The scripts are filled to the brim with twists, turns, those explosive moments and along with our returning cast and brilliant new cast members it’s set to be an exciting shoot!’

Who Stars?

Vicky McClure is back in the lead role as Lana ‘Wash’ Washington, while Nabil Elouahabi also returns as Hass along with Eric Shango as Danny, Mark Stanley as DCI Thom Youngblood, Kerry Godliman as Sonya Reeves, Kris Hitchen as John and Kevin Eldon as Jeff. But there are new faces to look out for, too, including Natalie Simpson as DS Helen Morgan, Julian Ovenden as Commander John Francis and Tomiwa Edun as Alex.

The full cast is as follows:

• Vicky McClure as Lana Washington
• Nabil Elouahabi as Hass
• Eric Shango as Danny
• Natalie Simpson as DS Helen Morgan
• Mark Stanley as DCI Thom Youngblood
• Julian Ovenden as Commander John Francis
• Kerry Godliman as Sonya Reeves
• Tomiwa Edun as Alex
• Kris Hitchen as John
• Kevin Eldon as Jeff
• Tamzin Griffin as Val
• Os Leanse as Hugo
• Bethan Cullinane as Hope
• Thom Ashley as Nick Hood
• Maanuv Thiara as DI Amar Batra
• Dan Whitlam as Tim

Vicky McClure as Lana Washington. © ITV

Where Was It Filmed?

Trigger Point was filmed entirely on location in London.

Release Schedule

Trigger Point series 2 began on Sunday 28 January on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm. Episodes will air weekly on Sunday nights at 9pm until 3 March 2024.

• Episode 1: 28 January 2024
• Episode 2: 4 February 2024
• Episode 3: 11 February 2024
• Episode 4: 18 February 2024
• Episode 5: 25 February 2024
• Episode 6: 3 March 2024

Where Is It Streaming?

Trigger Point series 2 is streaming on ITVX, with new episodes added on Sunday nights. All six episodes of the first series are also available in ITVX. itv.com