BBC’s ‘thrilling’ new 5-part drama is your next crime drama binge

Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha star in the new crime drama, The Cage, which comes from The Responder’s BAFTA-winning creator Tony Schumacher

he BBC has unveiled the official trailer for its upcoming crime drama, The Cage, starring Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha – and it could just be your next TV obsession.

The five-part series, which arrives on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 26 April, comes from The Responder‘s BAFTA-winning creator Tony Schumacher, a former Merseyside Police officer, and is produced by the award-winning Element Pictures (Normal People, Poor Things).

© James Stack/BBC
Sheridan Smith stars as Leanne in the crime drama

Filmed in and around Liverpool and Merseyside, the story centres around Leanne (Smith), a casino cashier who starts skimming cash from the safe to save her family home. But when she discovers her boss Matty (Socha) is doing the same thing, both of their lives start to spiral out of control.

The newly released trailer shows Leanne, a single mum, and Matty, a gambling addict, form an unlikely partnership to keep their thefts a secret, but soon become entangled with brutal local gangsters and the police.

© James Stack/BBC
Michael Socha plays Matty in the Liverpool-set series

Keep reading to find out more about the drama, which has been billed as a “thrilling” and “high-stakes” series.

What is The Cage about?

The series follows Leanne, a charismatic cashier at an inner-city casino in Liverpool, who starts skimming cash from the safe when she’s threatened with losing her home. When she discovers that her boss Matty is also taking money from the safe, “their lives are set on a collision course; with each other, the local gangster they’re stealing from, and the police”.

© James Stack/BBC
Geraldine James plays Nancy Packer

The synopsis continues: “As Leanne’s loyalties are pulled in different directions, Matty battles with his inner demons meaning the pair will have to play every hand perfectly.”

Speaking about the show during an appearance on ITV’s This Morning, Sheridan said of the main duo: “They’re not great at stealing. My character Leanne is much more organised but Matty is letting the side down, he’s not very reliable.

© BBC / Element Pictures / James Stack
The Cage arrives on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 26 April

“It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also a very heavy story,” she added.

Who stars in The Cage?

Sheridan and Michael lead a cast of familiar faces.

They’re joined by Barry Sloane (House of the Dragon) as Gary, Geraldine James (Dope Girls) as Nancy, Anton Bibby as Thomas, Freya Jones as Emily and Sophie Mensah (Sanctuary: A Witches Tale) as Fen.

© James Stack/BBC
Sophie Mensah plays Amanda Ning

Rounding out the cast are Abby Mavers (Waterloo Road) as Kelly, Shaun Mason (Extraordinary) as Alan, Louis Emerick as Paul (The Power of Parker), Ian Puleston Davies (Tin Star) as Vincent, Julia Papp (Baptiste) as Irina, Katy Carmichael (Malpractice) as DCI Hannigan, Dave Hart (The Responder) as Danny, Eileen O’Brien (Not Going Out) as Nanna, Eithne Browne (The Responder) as Annie and Mona Goodwin (Extraordinary) as Trace.

How to watch The Cage

Viewers don’t have long to wait as The Cage arrives on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 26 April 2026. All episodes will be available to stream on iPlayer from then and will air weekly at 9pm on BBC One.

More Sheridan Smith dramas to put on your watchlist

Care – This hard-hitting, moving story stars Sheridan Smith as single mum, Jenny, whose world is turned upside down after her mother, Mary (Alison Steadman), is diagnosed with vascular dementia. Watch on Netflix.
Black Work – Thrilling detective drama starring Sheridan Smith as Leeds police constable Jo Gillespie, whose world falls apart after her husband, undercover officer Ryan, is murdered. After an investigation into his death brings secrets to the surface, Jo starts her own search for the killer, putting herself in danger in the process. Watch on Netflix and ITVX.
I Fought the Law – This gripping drama tells the extraordinary true story of Ann Ming, who battled for 15 years to bring her daughter’s killer to justice, taking on the Criminal Justice System, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Government and more. Watch on ITVX.