Adrian Lester will star alongside Vicky McClure in new ITV drama Trigger Point which will turn the spotlight on counter terrorism policing and the extraordinary work of the Metropolitan Police Bomb Disposal Squad.

Written by Daniel Brierley and produced by HTM Television, Trigger Point, is a high-octane six-part thriller series which focuses on the officers who risk their lives daily on ‘the long walk’ towards danger. For them, death is always just a heartbeat away.

Vicky McClure (Line of Duty, I Am Nicola) plays front line officer Lana Washington, who is an experienced bomb disposal operative, known as an ‘Expo’ and Adrian Lester (Life, Trauma) plays Joel Nutkins, who works alongside her. Both ex-military, the pair are close, having served together in Afghanistan.

When a terrorist campaign threatens the capital over the summer, the Expos are at the forefront of urgent efforts to find out who is behind the bombings before fatalities escalate…..

Further cast includes Mark Stanley (Honour) as DI Thom Youngblood, Warren Brown (Luther) as Karl Maguire, Kerry Godliman (After Life) as Sonya Reeves, Cal MacAninch (Des) as Lee Robins SCO19, Manjinder Virk (Midsomer Murders) as Samira Desai SO15 and Ralph Ineson (The Capture) as Commander Bregman.

Commented Adrian Lester:

“I’m really looking forward to partnering with Vicky on this great new series. Jed Mercurio’s material is always great. This series is ambitious and challenging which is why it’s exciting to be a part of the team.”

Trigger Point has been commissioned for ITV by Head of Drama, Polly Hill, who will oversee production from the channel’s perspective.

Jed Mercurio will executive produce the drama alongside Jimmy Mulville (Derry Girls, Bloodlands, Flack) Mark Redhead (The Murder of Stephen Lawrence, Bodies, Bloodlands) and Jessica Sharkey (Derry Girls, Bloodlands) for HTM Television, with Julia Stannard (Vanity Fair, War and Peace, The Great Train Robbery) producing. It will be directed by Gilles Bannier (Marcella, Tin Star, Spiral) and Jennie Darnell (Line of Duty, Holby City, Death in Paradise).

HTM Television is co-owned by Jed Mercurio and Hat Trick Productions. Jed is best known for creating and writing Line of Duty, Bodyguard, Critical, and Bodies. Mark Redhead is currently executive producing, Stephen, for ITV, which is the sequel to The Murder of Stephen Lawrence.

Commented Jed Mercurio:

“I’m absolutely thrilled Adrian Lester has joined the cast of Trigger Point. Adrian is one of the finest actors working in British television today and will make a formidable combination with Vicky McClure.”

Trigger Point is Daniel Brierley’s debut television drama commission. He is a screenwriter with several short films to his credit including My Face Is In Space, Checkpoint and Graceland.

Commented Daniel Brierley:

“I'm beyond thrilled - and honoured - to have Adrian Lester joining the cast of Trigger Point. Adrian's one of Britain's finest actors and I can't wait to see him alongside another national treasure in Vicky! It's a great pairing and I know they'll be fantastic in their roles.”

Daniel began working with HTM Television following his involvement with a TV bursary scheme, funded by the industry body, ScreenSkills, which aimed to encourage top screenwriters to mentor and develop new writers of their choice. Jed Mercurio mentored Daniel Brierley and Trigger Point is a direct result of the scheme.

Trigger Point will be filmed in London.