Line of Duty meets Happy Valley: ITV’s "thrilling" new crime drama Protection is unmissable weekend viewing

There are some TV shows we end up counting down the days for and recently, one of those has been ITV's Protection. The new six-part crime drama, which brings together stars of Happy Valley and Line of Duty, tells a gripping story of just how wrong things can go when the witness protection system breaks down - and it really is unmissable weekend viewing.

The new Sunday night series sees Siobhan Finneran step into the starring role of Detective Inspector Liz Nyles, who finds herself caught in the midst of a security breach in her witness protection unit. Compromised by an illicit affair with a colleague, Nyles must dig deep to discover exactly who's putting her unit - and her family - in danger.

Thankfully, the new series is finally arriving on our screens this weekend, but until then, here's everything you need to know about the drama, including the full plot, cast and how you can tune in...

What is ITV's Protection about?

As we mentioned, the series focuses on witness protection officer Detective Inspector Liz Nyles (Siobhan Finneran), who finds herself at the heart of a dangerous breach, only she's professionally compromised by an affair with a colleague. Interestingly, while this isn’t a true story, ITV has said the series is based on the first-hand experiences of a long-serving witness protection officer.

According to ITV’s official synopsis Detective Inspector Nyles is "determined to uncover the true source of corruption within the police. Liz will stop at nothing to redeem herself, the reputation of her lover, and to keep her witnesses and her own family safe. Even if they don’t always deserve it."

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Matt Squire

Of course, it wouldn’t be an ITV crime drama without some additional personal challenges to deal with at home, too. As a single mum, Nyles has to juggle the demands of parenting while navigating a difficult divorce and caring for her sick father.

"Navigating the morally-grey, clandestine world of witness protection, Liz’s mission to find the truth will take her deep into the heart of the criminal underbelly and beyond as she becomes more and more torn between caring for her family, her loyalty to her lover and her duty as a police officer," continues the synopsis.

"This is the story of a smart, tough cop, out of her depth in a world where nothing is as it seems."

Police investigation scene with two women conversing near a cordoned area

Thomas Wood

The drama has been created by writer Kris Mrksa, who was responsible for ITV’s White House Farm, and produced by the multi-award-winning team behind the hit show Des (the chilling series starring David Tenant as serial killer Dennis Nilsen) and The Long Shadow.

"Protection is a suspenseful conspiracy thriller, but it also explores some complex moral questions, about how far we should be prepared to go in order to serve the greater good," says Kris of the series.

"The murky world of witness protection, where hardened criminals are often sheltered, in the hope that they will help bring down other criminals, provides the perfect context for examining these thorny issues."

If you enjoyed Happy Valley as much as we did, Protection is certainly one to add to the top of the watch list. Watch the trailer below if you don't believe us...