Top News

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

The six-part lunar thriller First Woman features Adolescence star Ashley Walters as Ben Reith, a man who wakes up one morning to discover that his wife Claire, played by Andrea Riseborough, has disappeared without trace, reports the Mirror.

It marks the beginning 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 released 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 hundreds of thousands of miles between them, can Ben uncover the truth behind his wife'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 part of such a bold and propulsive drama with a team of people that I have dreamt of working with. I always want to be a part of projects that make us converse and think outside the box. This one does just that."

Co-star Andrea added: "As a kid, I dreamed, perhaps more than anything, of space. Of emptiness and stars, and the vastness of all that those 'grounded' reflected on in verse."

"This will be endlessly compelling - I hope - for all who want to journey with us," she continued. "I cannot 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 wanted ITV to make this the moment I read it. The team that has come on board on and off screen is incredible, and a testament to the wonderful and original scripts."

She went on to promise that viewers would be taken on "an incredible journey".

Creator Lydia Yeoman said: "Set in the exciting (and as-yet-unexplored) world of private space travel, First Woman is a thriller unlike anything else we've 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."