Channel 4 has released a first look at its upcoming Manchester-set suburban thriller Tip Toe, starring Sherwood‘s David Morrissey, The Traitors‘ Alan Cumming and Unforgotten‘s Charlie Condou – and it might be one for your 2026 watchlist.

Created by Russell T Davies – the mastermind behind hit shows including Doctor Who, It’s a Sin and he War Between the Land and the Sea – Tip Toe follows two neighbours whose relationship gradually curdles into hostility in a sharp and unsettling reflection of modern society.

HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: “As a big fan of Russel T Davies’ work, I’m so excited for Tip Toe to arrive on TV screens. It’s a Sin, the 1980s-set miniseries about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, remains one of the most powerful pieces of television I’ve seen in the last five years, and if Tip Toe is half as captivating, then it’ll no doubt be a hit.”

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the upcoming five-part drama – and why it deserves a place on your watchlist.

A man holds up another man by the neck against a wall© Channel 4

What is Tip Toe about?

The story centres around two men: Leo (Alan Cumming), a vivid, funny and dynamic bar owner in Manchester’s Gay Village, and Clive (David Morrissey), Leo’s unsmiling and troubled next-door neighbour.

The synopsis reads: “Leo and Clive have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. But just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalised, and gradually, two neighbours become deadly enemies in a tense, suburban thriller which challenges everything we consider to be safe.

A man leans on a van door© Channel 4

“The series, populated with a cast of vibrant characters and underscored with Davies’ trademark wit and deft humour, is an urgent tale that brings a spotlight to bear on the prejudices which are creeping back into our lives, in a story that speaks not just to the queer community but to the world today.”

two men standing together© Ben Blackall

Alan Cumming and David Morrissey lead the show

Who stars in Tip Toe?

Alan Cumming (The Traitors, Glenrothan) and David Morrissey (Sherwood, Daddy Issues) lead the cast as Leo and Clive.

They’re joined by Pooky Quesnel (The A Word, Moonflower Murders), who plays Clive’s wife Marie, Jackson Connor (Phoenix Rise, Masters of the Air) who’s Clive’s youngest son George, Joseph Evans (The Map That Leads To You, CC Emily), who plays George’s older brother Saul, and Elizabeth Berrington (Lost Boys & Fairies, Last Night In Soho), who is Leo’s best friend Stephanie.

Denise Welch in a burgundy top on Loose Women© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

Denise Welch will make an appearance as Diane

Other names include Iz Hesketh (Renegade Nell, Hollyoaks) as Zee, Shakeel Kimotho (La Cage Aux Folles) as Hanna and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Wednesday, Devs) as Judy.

Rounding out the cast are Paul Rhys (Saltburn, Napoleon) as Melba, Charlie Condou (Doctor Who, Unforgotten) as Leo’s ex-husband Curtis and Denise Welch (Waterloo Road, Coronation Street) as Diane.

three men standing together, one holding script© Ben Blackall

The stars with writer Russell T Davies

Why should you watch Tip Toe?

If anyone knows how to make compelling TV, it’s Russell T Davies. Not only has the screenwriter and producer been in the entertainment business for 40 years, penning outstanding TV shows like It’s a Sin (97% on Rotten Tomatoes) and Torchwood (98% on Rotten Tomatoes), but he has an uncanny knack to peel back the layers of social issues, often with LGBTQ themes, and cooking them up into emotional, hard-hitting dramas. Tip Toe looks set to continue that streak when it lands in 2026.

Need more convincing? Russell himself teased: “We’re in the final days of filming, and I’m so excited for 2026 – this show has some of the finest acting I’ve ever seen, from the most splendid cast, and I can’t wait for it to hit Channel 4.”

Meanwhile, executive producer Nicola Shindler added: “I am so pleased to be back working with Russell at Channel 4, and to be given the chance to tell such an important story. Tip Toe is not just a timely drama, but a captivating story shot through with Russell’s brilliant wit, warmth and devastating poignancy.”