Gillian Anderson is taking on an exciting role in brand new period drama Trespasses, which is all about "forbidden love" and promises to be gloriously good viewing. The Channel 4 drama follows an illicit affair between two people who's lives are "world's apart", set to the backdrop of The Troubles.

There's a stellar team behind the production, with a script led by Bad Sisters writer Ailbhe Keogan and BAFTA award-winning Dawn Shadforth taking the show on as director. It's a seriously impressive line up, with the project coming from Wildgaze Films which also has a BAFTA win under its belt along with two Oscar nominations. And that's before we even get to the cast.

Here's everything we know so far about the exciting new series, including all the details on what to expect from the plot, as well as how to watch...

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What is Trespasses about?

pictured: gina lavery (gillian anderson)
Channel 4

Trespasses is a period drama set in 1975 just outside of outside Belfast. The plot follows Cushla, who is described as a "sparky young woman whose desires and dreams have been frustrated by the grind of daily life" in the synopsis from Channel 4. Cushla is a Catholic schoolteacher who is constantly sparring with her "glorious wreck" of a mother, Gina, played by Gillian Anderson.

Culsha also works behind the bar in her family's pub which serves a "mixed crowd including the locally stationed soldiers". One night, Cushla meets Micheal, an older married barrister who is Protestant. Michael "often defends IRA suspects and is friends with cultured Bohemians who enrage and intrigue Cushla."

Their lives are worlds apart, but the pair find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other despite knowing that a relationship could "spell all kinds of trouble". Living in a time and a place "where loose lips cost lives and danger lurks in the shadows, amidst the fear and paranoia, this illicit affair between Cushla and Michael ignites and burns bright," reads the synopsis.

Is Trespasses based on a book?

pictured: michael agnew (tom cullen) and cushla lavery (lola petticrew)
Steffan Hill//Channel 4

If the plot for Trespasses sounds strong, it's because it's been based on sparkling source material. Louise Kennedy's breakout debut novel Trespasses is what the show is based on, which was shortlisted for the Women's Prize in 2023.

It's been described as a "beautiful, devastating" book which feels like a Sally Rooney novel (the author of Normal People) but in the form of a political thriller.

The official description of the book reads, "There is nothing special about the day Cushla meets Michael, a married man from Belfast, in the pub owned by her family. But here, love is never far from violence, and this encounter will change both of their lives forever."

Who's in the Trespasses cast?

pictured: cushla lavery (lola petticrew) and michael agnew (tom cullen)
Channel 4

Gillian Anderson stars as Gina, Cushla's mother and is also a producer on the drama. Joining her in the cast are:

  • Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing, Tuesday) - Cushla
  • Tom Cullen (The Gold, Weekend) - Michael
  • 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)
  • Lalor Roddy (Bodkin)

Where can I watch Trespasses?

Trespasses will be available to watch on Channel 4 and stream online. While the official release date hasn't yet been revealed, filming wrapped last December and the first images have now dropped, so we're hoping we won't have to wait too much longer!