After The Flood: release date, cast, plot, trailer, episode guide and everything you need to know about the thriller series
After The Flood on ITV1 sees Peaky Blinders star Sophie Rundle take on the role of an obsessed cop in a town torn apart by the effects of a shocking environmental disaster. She plays PC Joanna Marshall who works in a small town that has been hit by a terrible flood who then finds she has a murder investigation on her hands.
Life on Mars actor Philip Glenister is also starring as property developer Jack Radcliffe while Bridgerton star Lorraine Ashbourne is Jo’s mother, Molly.
“I am really thrilled to be joining After the Flood,” says Sophie Rundle. “Jo is a brilliantly bold, compelling protagonist. The story is sharp, intriguing and articulate about the climate crisis and the impact on the communities it is directly affecting. There are so many people I’m really looking forward to working with on this project, I can’t wait to get started.”
Here’s everything we know about After The Flood so far…
After The Flood release date
After The Flood is a six-part thriller launching in the UK on ITV1 on Wednesday 10 January 2024 at 9pm and also streaming as a box set on ITVX and STV Player. US viewers can catch the show on BritBox. There’s no release date in the US yet but keep an eye on this page and we’ll update you when a US release date is scheduled.
How to watch After the Flood online or on TV
Is there a trailer for After The Flood?
Yes ITV has released a trailer for After The Flood which shows how the dramatic events unfold after the huge downpour. Take a look below..
After The Flood plot
After The Flood follows life in a town struggling in the aftermath of a major flood that has wrecked the community. As the clear-up starts, the body of an unidentified man is found in a lift in an underground car park and the police quickly assume he was trapped by the rising waters.
However, as the investigation unfolds, pregnant PC Joanna Marshall (Sophie Rundle) becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to him, and it seems the floods will expose long-buried truths.
After The Flood cast — Sophie Rundle on playing PC Jo Marshall
Sophie Rundle, who plays determined cop Jo Marshall in After The Flood, says: "I opened the front page and started reading and I kept going, ‘Is that me? Is that my character? Do I get to do that? That is so cool’. Especially for someone in my casting bracket. I’ve done a lot of corsets and a lot of holding babies and mooning after someone in the background. To be doing the stunt and not just witnessing it was so exciting. I think it is so clever of Mick Ford to write that as the introduction for your protagonist. This is the world. These are the stakes. Here she is. She’s in the water. She’s saved the baby and she’s pregnant. Boom. You’re in. How could you not watch that?
"We were up in Stockton-on-Tees for a week filming the flash flood, and it was like being on a school trip. Before that we had been filming in and around Manchester, so this was the only time we all went away somewhere. We were all giddy and excited. It is where they train all the emergency services. There’s this water course and they have control of the speed and the scale of the water. They had all these big strapping six-foot lifeguards in all their emergency gear stationed along the water course who were lovely. They said, ‘If you fall the water is going to take you but don’t worry, we’re going to save you.’ Luckily, I didn’t ever stack it, so they didn’t have to save me. It was a really exciting moment as an actress and as a woman in this industry to be the hero reaching out for the baby dressed in all my police gear with the rain going. The water was really strong, and we were in and out of it all the time. On the last day I realised my hand was shaking because I hadn’t eaten anything. I was so pumped from the adrenalin. It wasn’t a normal day at work where you do your lines, and you go home. It really made the job for me."
* Sophie Rundle is currently starring in the series The Diplomat and has also starred in Peaky Blinders and Gentleman Jack. Sophie has had roles in The Nest, Bodyguard, Elizabeth is Missing, Brief Encounters, Jamestown, The Midnight Sky and Rose.
* After The Flood star Sophie Rundle 'wasn't sure' about working with real-life partner
Philip Glenister on playing Jack Radcliffe
Philip Glenister plays property developer Jack Radcliffe in After The Flood. He says: "He’s a bit of a Jack the lad. He’s a big fish in a small pond. He’s never married or had children. To be that age and to go through life like that probably makes him a self-centred, selfish sort of human being. He’s still a bit of a lothario, God forbid, but he does have a good side to him. I think that’s important to say. He does have a caring side. That side is wrapped up in his business dealings, but he has turned his work into something that can be environmentally friendly as well.
"He’s got a lot at stake on with the Uplands eco housing project. The bottom line is if this Uplands project gets flooded then he loses his entire business. So, it’s important for that to work. It’s just getting the cash flow and all the red tape that goes with it. Then there is everything else that is going on within the town and there is quite a lot going on. Jack comes in and out in his ‘ecologically friendly’ Range Rover! And his V8."
"Working alongside Lorraine Ashbourne was just brilliant. We laughed so much. One day we were up doing this scene on a hill and although the sun was out it was freezing. We’re sitting there supposed to be eating chips and the chips were also freezing. Then we had to have a little kiss at the end and we both had chip teeth. Sorry, I’ve got a bit of chip in my teeth! It was good fun. She’s great Lorraine. She’s just one of nature’s life forces. She’s funny. She’s smart."
* Philip Glenister shot to fame playing DCI Gene Hunt in the BBC1 time travel series Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. He’s also starred in Clocking Off, Roger Roger, Hornblower, Vanity Fair, The Other Boleyn Girl, Calendar Girls, Cranford, Mad Dogs and Belgravia.
* Philip Glenister 'fine' with axing of Life on Mars sequel
Lorraine Ashbourne as Molly
Lorraine Ashbourne takes on the role of Jo’s mum Molly. She plays Mrs Varley in the hit series Bridgerton and Karen in I Hate Suzie. She’s also starred in Sherwood, Alma’s Not Normal, Playing The Field, Unforgotten and The Crown. She's married to fellow actor Andy Serkis (Gollum in Lord Of The RIngs) and is the mother of their acting son Louis Ashbourne Serkis (No Return)
Who else is starring in After The Flood?
After The Flood has a big cast of well-known actors. Nicholas Gleaves (The Crown, Bodyguard) plays Jo’s boss Sergeant Phil Mackie and Matt Stokoe (The Hunt For Roaul Moat, Jamestown) is her husband, Pat. Jonas Armstrong (The Bay, Floodlights) is Lee Ellison, a seemingly heroic local man, and Jacqueline Boatswain (Anansi Boys) plays local politician Sarah Mackie. Anita Adam Gabay is Tasha Eden.
Who's who — the characters in After The Flood
Here's a rundown of the main characters in After The Flood, as the actors give us more on them...
PC Jo Marshall
(Sophie Rundle)
"Jo’s father was a police officer who died,’ says Sophie. ‘That trauma might be why she’s so determined to get to the truth.’
DS Pat Marshall
(Matt Stokoe)
“Pat’s a senior detective,’ explains Matt. ‘But Jo’s detective training means the lines between their home life and work begin to blur."
Molly Marshall
(Lorraine Ashbourne)
"Jo’s mother is a widow who wants to help her community," says Lorraine."She’s courageous and fearless."
Jack Radcliffe
(Philip Glenister)
"Jack’s a businessman with quite a few layers to him," says Philip. ‘"He’s a big fish in a small pond in Waterside."
DS Phil Mackie
(Nicholas Gleaves)
"Phil has an emotional connection to Jo," says Nicholas. "Her dad was a good friend of his who died in the line of duty."
Sarah Mackie
(Jacqueline Boatswain)
"Sarah is a local councillor," says Jacqueline. "She’s hard-working and ambitious and wants the best for her community."
Lee
(Jonas Armstrong)
"He’s a mysterious character with a chequered past," explains Jonas."He helps Jo save the baby, but flees afterwards."
PC Deepa Das
(Tripti Tripuraneni)
"Deepa is new to the force and very eager to learn," says Tripti. "She’s good friends with Jo and really looks up to her."
After The Flood cast: who's who
Jonas Armstrong on playing Lee Ellison in After The Flood
Jonas Armstrong, who plays hero Lee Ellison in After The Flood, says "When you first meet Lee, he is running down the embankment. A baby is being swept away by the current and the flood. Without thinking he goes on instinct and just plunges into the water risking his own life essentially to save this infant. We presume this man is dead because of the ferocity of the flood and then right at the end of episode one you see him washed up on the embankment further down. Lots of hours have passed. He’s unconscious. He wakes up. There are police sirens. He sees the activity going on, he’s injured. Rather than go towards the town, he makes a decision to go the other way. I can’t tell you much about his history, but he has a chequered past."
After The Flood baby rescue opening scene secrets revealed by Jonas Armstrong
After The Flood episode guide (with a few spoilers)
Here's a brief episode guide to the six episodes of After The Flood, with a few spoilers (so look away if you don't want to know. We'll be updating as the series progresses on ITV1...
Episode 1: Wednesday January 10, ITV1
Jo Marshall is a police officer who’s seven months pregnant and determined to get to the truth about a murder carried out during a devastating flood. The opening scene of the crime drama sees Jo jumping into a swollen river to help a mysterious stranger named Lee (Jonas Armstrong) rescue a baby that’s been washed away by the rising waters. When the flood waters recede, the body of an unidentified man is found in the lift of an underground car park. The local police assume the man was trapped by rising water, but Jo isn’t so sure.
Jo's partner, Waterside detective Pat (Matt Stokoe) urges her to forget the case, while her mother Molly (Lorraine Ashbourne) encourages her to pursue it. It’s soon clear her investigation will expose some long buried truths for Waterside residents, such as local businessman Jack Radcliffe (Philip Glenister).
After The Flood episode 1 recap: Who is Lift Man?
Episode 2: Wednesday January 17, ITV1
When the body of an unidentified man was discovered in an underground car park after a terrible flood, everyone in Waterside assumed he’d drowned. Yet PC Jo Marshall was convinced there was something more sinister about the case and took it upon herself to start a secret investigation into his death. However her desperation to get to the truth led her to take a terrible risk when she uploaded his DNA profile online in a bid to find out more about him in last week’s first episode. It was a serious breach of data protocol and she fears it’s a mistake that could cost her career when one of his relatives gets in touch demanding answers. However when the dead man’s relative offer up some shocking information that could prove crucial to her case, Jo finds herself caught in a very tricky situation. Should she give up or risk her career and keep going?
Episodes 3 to 6
We'll be updating with these later episodes as the series progresses.
Behind the scenes, locations and more about After The Flood
Filming started on After The Flood in February 2023 in the Manchester, Derbyshire, West Yorkshire and Teeside areas of the UK.
After the Flood is produced by multi-award-winning Manchester-based executive producer Nicola Shindler and her team, including fellow exec producer Richard Fee, at Quay Street Productions in association with ITV Studios. The drama is written by Mick Ford.
Nicola Shindler and Richard Fee, executive producers have said: “When Mick Ford brought the kernel of the idea of After the Flood to us, we were immediately drawn in. Not just by the catastrophic repercussions of a deadly environmental disaster in a town that could very well be our own, but also the intricacies and deception at the heart of the characters’ stories.
"We have a brilliant combination of writing, directing and acting talent on board to bring this series to life and we’re looking forward to working with our partners at ITV and BritBox International as we begin filming.”
Mick Ford adds: “I'm always excited to announce a new project but After the Flood in particular tops all of the others due to its ambition and the characters. The cast are fantastic, and I am thrilled with how perfect each cast member is for their role.
"ITV has been brilliant throughout the writing process allowing us the time to craft the scripts with care which is rare and brilliant. Plus working with Quay Street Productions for Nicola and Richard is so special – because they and their teams are so special, and I feel truly honored. It is going to be great seeing everyone getting into the story and seeing it come to life — and then there is the flood!”
Reemah Sakaan, CEO BritBox International said: “After the Flood is a gripping thriller featuring a fantastic cast, led by Sophie Rundle as our determined investigator, getting stuck into a complex crime in her community, with environmental catastrophe as a backdrop. We are incredibly proud to be working in partnership with ITV and Nicola’s team at Quay Street on this production. The series joins our world-class slate of quality British originals and its themes are sure to resonate with fans around the world.”
After The Flood creator Mick Ford: Climate change is our world now
