Code of Silence (TV series)
| Code of Silence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Screenplay by | Catherine Moulton |
| Directed by | Diarmuid Goggins |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Dan Jones Evelyn Glennie |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Rose Ayling-Ellis Catherine Moulton Tom Leggett Damien Timmer Elisabeth Murdoch Stacey Snider Jane Featherstone |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | ITVX |
| Release | 18 May 2025 – present |
Code of Silence is a 2025 British crime drama television series for ITVX starring Rose Ayling-Ellis, Andrew Buchan and Charlotte Ritchie about a deaf civilian volunteering to help police with her lip reading skills. It was renewed for a second series later that year.
Plot
[edit]Set in Canterbury, Alison Woods is working in the canteen of a police station. She is deaf, and a team of police detectives, led by Detective Inspector James Marsh, bring her in to assist in a criminal investigation as an emergency lip reader.[1] The police are using covert surveillance cameras to observe a criminal gang who are plotting a jewellery heist. Accompanied by Detective Sergeant Ashleigh Francis, Alison observes the gang in a public bar, and using her lip-reading skills, Alison is able to unravel the plot.
Alison discovers that a younger member, Liam Barlow, has been recruited by the gang as a security hacker to bypass the security systems at the jewellery vault. After a disagreement with the police team, Alison takes a bar job at the pub frequented by the gang, placing herself in an unauthorised undercover operation. There, she becomes romantically attached to Liam. who takes her on a romantic weekend at a country park hotel. There, Liam observes a wealthy businessman and his family, the targets of the planned robbery. Liam grows suspicious of Alison and hacks her hearing aids via her smartphone, which leads him to discover that she is a police informant. The heist goes ahead – not at the vault, as anticipated, but at the hotel. During the robbery, one of the police detectives is shot. Liam betrays the gang and attempts to make off with the jewellery by himself, offering to take Alison and her mother to live abroad with the proceeds. Braden Moore, the gang leader, uncovers Alison's police involvement and takes her hostage, forcing Liam to hand over the jewels. Liam has contacted the police, who rescue Alison and arrest Liam and the other gang members. Liam stands trial and is sentenced to imprisonment, but promises to come back for her, using his newly acquired sign language skill. DI Marsh congratulates Alison and offers her a training course in becoming an official investigative lip-reader for the police.[2][3]
Cast
[edit]- Rose Ayling-Ellis as Alison Woods
- Kieron Moore as Liam Barlow, "Hoodie"
- Charlotte Ritchie as DS Ashleigh Francis
- Andrew Buchan as DI James Marsh
- Nathan Armarkwei Laryea as DC Ben Lawford
- Joe Absolom as Braden Moore, "Hulk"
- Beth Goddard as Helen Redman, "Cruella"
- Andrew Scarborough as Joseph Holhurst, "Wolf"
- Fifi Garfield as Julie Woods, Alison's mum
- Rolf Choutan as Eithan, Alison’s ex-boyfriend
- John Bishop as Ray Woods, Alison’s dad
Production
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The series is written by Catherine Moulton and was commissioned by ITVX in May 2023.[4] It is produced by Mammoth Screen for ITVX, and ITV Studios are distributing internationally. The cast is led by Rose Ayling-Ellis, Charlotte Ritchie and Andrew Buchan.[5] The six-part series has Diarmuid Goggins as lead director. Tom Leggett and Damien Timmer are executive producers for Mammoth Screen, alongside Moulton and Ayling-Ellis.[6][7]
Filming began in September 2024 and continued into February 2025.[1][8] Filming locations include Canterbury, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Wrotham Park and St Albans in Hertfordshire.[9][10]
It was renewed for a second series in July 2025.[11]
Broadcast
[edit]The series became available on 18 May 2025 on ITVX in the United Kingdom. It will air on BritBox in North America.[12][13]
Reception
[edit]Anita Singh in The Daily Telegraph awarded the show four stars and praised the performance of Rose Ayling-Ellis in the lead role, as well as the pacing of the series and the tension it created on the viewer.[14]
Lucy Mangan in The Guardian also awarded the show four stars and praised Ayling-Ellis, calling the show a "triumph".[15]
Carol Midgely in The Times praised the script which "is written from experience and with veracity" and results in "a fresh, original drama that has done the near impossible and given us a cop drama with something new to say".[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Daniels, Nia (17 September 2024). "Rose Ayling-Ellis films Code of Silence". The Knowledge Online. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Abby (18 May 2025). "Code of Silence is a Deaf-led crime thriller that gets representation right | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Radio Times. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ O'Brien, Jon (21 May 2025). "Code of Silence ending explained: What happened to Alison and Liam? | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Radio Times. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ Hibbs, James (17 May 2023). "Rose Ayling-Ellis "delighted" to lead ITV thriller Code of Silence". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse (9 October 2024). "ITV/BritBox Drama 'Code Of Silence' Cast; EFM Country In Focus Unveiled; Jesse Eisenberg Honored By Stockholm; Seven.One Studios Builds Formats Team — Global Briefs". Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Mammoth Screen makes thriller Code of Silence for ITV". Televisual. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ ". "KIN director joins EastEnders star for ITV crime drama". RTE. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Buongiorno Italian is latest filming location for ITV drama". Hertfordshire Advertiser. 7 February 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ^ Mountney, Dan (9 October 2024). "Filming at St Albans for ITV drama Code of Silence". Hertsad.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Hornbuckle, Jon (18 May 2025). "'Code of Silence': Behind the filming locations for ITV's new crime drama". Time Out. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ Cormack, Morgan (9 July 2025). "Code of Silence future confirmed by ITV after Rose Ayling-Ellis drama's acclaimed first run". Radio Times. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ Molina-Whyte, Lidia (9 October 2024). "Ghosts and Broadchurch stars join Rose Ayling-Ellis in Code of Silence". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Rowan, Iona (18 March 2025). "New British crime thriller with Broadchurch and Black Doves star shares first look". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
- ^ Singh, Anita (18 May 2025). "Code of Silence, review: a quietly revolutionary crime drama". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ Mangan, Lucy (18 May 2025). "Code of Silence review – Rose Ayling-Ellis is a triumph in this fun, fascinating crime show". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ Midgely, Carol (18 May 2025). "Code of Silence review: Finally, a cop drama with something new to say". The Times. Retrieved 19 May 2025.