Police drama fans can look forward to a new entry to the genre in the form of ITV’s “gripping” six-parter, Gone, which was announced on Monday.

The series, penned by acclaimed screenwriter George Kay (The Long Shadow, Hijack, Lupin) and directed by Richard Laxton (Mrs Wilson, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe), is a “chilling mystery” focusing on the headmaster of a prestigious private school, who becomes the prime suspect in his wife Sarah’s disappearance.

woman and man sitting next to each other at table in interrogation room© New Pictures/James Pardon
Gone is coming to ITV

It sounds like viewers are in for a treat with this one. Not only is the show written by George Kay, who created the smash hit Apple TV thriller Hijack and has writing credits on shows like Killing Eve and The Long Shadow, but the cast is led by BAFTA nominee David Morrissey and the brilliant Eve Myles. Plus, it’s inspired by the careers of former Detective Superintendent for Gloucestershire Police, Julie Mackay, and ITV Crime Correspondent Robert Murphy who has reported on some of the biggest and most complex cases in the West of England. Both are consultants on the show.

We’re seeing more and more police dramas with a talented, no-nonsense female detective as the central protagonist. It’s clear from the success of shows like Happy Valley, Shetland, Mare of Easttown and Karen Pirie that there is huge viewer demand for detective dramas with a strong female lead, and it sounds like that’s exactly what we’re getting with Gone. Eve Myles is no stranger to playing detectives, having recently played Jeanette Kirkland, in the edge-of-your-seat thriller The Crow Girl. I can’t wait to see what she brings to the new ITV drama.

What is Gone about?

Set against the backdrop of a “prestigious private school, a foreboding forest and the quiet sprawl of Bristol”, the series focuses on local Headmaster Michael Polly (Morrissey), an

The synopsis continues: “Michael Polly is inscrutable and likes order and precision in his working life. Until, that is, he encounters super bright, gutsy Detective Annie Cassidy, played by Eve Myles, and a compulsive game of cat and mouse begins as she chips away at his veneer in search of the truth.

woman in yellow jumper sitting on blue sofa in tv studio© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Eve Myles plays Detective Annie Cassidy

“With tension in the air, yet Polly not displaying any emotion, Annie’s suspicions are heightened the more she investigates. Something in her gut tells her all is not what it seems. Could he be capable of murder? And if so – why?”

It concludes: “Beneath the surface of the mystery, lies a deeper exploration of trauma, trust and the legacy of elite institutions.”

Who stars in the show?

David Morrissey (The Long Shadow, Sherwood, Britannia) stars as Michael Polly, alongside Eve Myles (The Crow Girl, Hijack, Torchwood) as Detective Annie Cassidy and Emma Appleton (The Road Trip, The Killing Kind, Lola) as Alana, Sarah and Michael’s daughter who is a teacher at the school.

David Morrissey stars in Sherwood season 2David Morrissey (pictured in Sherwood) plays Michael Polly

They’re joined by Jennifer Macbeth (Maternal), Arthur Hughes (The Innocents), Nicholas Nunn (Rogue Heroes), Elliot Cowan (Foundation), Billy Barrett (The White Princess) and Clare Higgins (Downton Abbey). Other cast members include Rupert Evans, Jodie McNee and Oscar Batterham.

When will Gone be released?

Gone will air on ITV, STV and be available for streaming on ITVX and STV Player. A release date has yet to be announced but given ITV has only just announced the show, along with a first look image, we’d expect the show to arrive in spring 2026 at the very earliest.