Channel 4 Releases First Look Images from Upcoming Drama Trespasses Starring Lola Petticrew, Tom Cullen, and Gillian Anderson

Images: Channel 4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Channel 4 has released first look images from Trespasses, an upcoming drama set against the turbulent backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The series, a forbidden love story, will stream and be available live later this year. The production comes from Wildgaze Films, the BAFTA award-winning company behind films such as Brooklyn and An Education, in collaboration with All3Media International.

The newly unveiled images feature Lola Petticrew (known for Say Nothing and Tuesday) as Cushla, a young woman whose desires and dreams are stifled by the harsh realities of daily life. Tom Cullen (The Gold, Weekend) stars as Michael, a controversial barrister, and Gillian Anderson (Scoop, Sex Education) plays Gina, Cushla's mother, a "glorious wreck" who is always clashing with her daughter.

Adapted by Ailbhe Keogan (Bad Sisters), Trespasses is based on Louise Kennedy's critically acclaimed debut novel, which was shortlisted for the 2023 Women's Prize. This marks Keogan's first lead writing credit for television. Directed by BAFTA award-winning Dawn Shadforth (Mood, Adult Material), the series brings a gripping and intimate story to the screen.

Joining the cast are Martin McCann (Blue Lights), Oisín Thompson (My Left Nut), Emily Taaffe (The Rising), Barry Ward (Bad Sisters), Lisa Dwyer Hogg (The Fall), Lorcan Cranitch (Bloodlands), Frank Blake (Normal People), Gary Lydon (The Banshees of Inisherin), and Lalor Roddy (Bodkin).

Set in 1975, outside Belfast, Trespasses follows Cushla, a Catholic schoolteacher who works behind the bar of her family's pub. One evening, while serving a mixed crowd that includes soldiers stationed in the area, Cushla meets Michael, an older Protestant man and a controversial figure who often defends IRA suspects. Despite their stark differences, the two are drawn to each other, and the dangerous nature of their illicit affair becomes clear. The series explores the passionate and fraught relationship between the two, set against a backdrop of fear, paranoia, and the ever-present threat of violence.

Trespasses is a 4x60' series, with Rebecca Holdsworth and Gwawr Lloyd serving as the Drama Commissioning Editors for Channel 4. Executive producers include Amanda Posey (Brooklyn, An Education), Gillian Anderson, Dawn Shadforth, Louise Kennedy, and Finola Dwyer. The producer is Maria Mulhall (The Night Caller, The Dry).

Filming for the series wrapped in Belfast in December, and with funding from Northern Ireland Screen, Trespasses is set to capture a critical moment in history with compelling characters and a heartbreaking love story.