If the British TV gods know anything, it's that Sheridan Smith is the woman to go to for a relateable, high-stakes drama, especially if it's set in the north of England. Her next BBC project is a "high energy" crime show that all fans will want to watch out for.
The Cage comes from The Responder's creator Tony Schumacher, who is on board as writer and creator of the new Liverpool-set series, and focuses on two people who discover they're both trying to steal from the casino that they work in.
Schumacher's last series The Responder has been a big hit for the BBC, with both seasons of the Liverpool-set police drama attracting perfect scores on RottenTomatoes, so you kow you're in safe hands.
"Coming back to the BBC with my second major show and being able to work with such talents as Sheridan, Michael [Socha] and the teams at Element Pictures and the BBC is such an honour," Schumacher said.
"On top of that, having a director of Al's calibre really is the cherry on the big Liverpool drama cake we're baking together. I'm hoping people will find it funny, dark, but most of all full of love, life and entertainment and I can't wait for the world to see it."
The Cage has been described as "a high-stakes, high energy crime story set within the world of a Liverpool Casino" that has "two unforgettable characters at its heart".
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What's The Cage about?
The story follows Leanne and Matty (played by Showtrial and Being Human's Michael Socha), who find out that both of them are plotting to rob from same Liverpool casino they both work in. The discovery puts them on a collision course with the police, the gangsters they work for, and each other.
Its producers have promised that it's a "a crime show, a show about family and a love story of sorts", while also praising Schumacher for writing "characters from the heart that break your heart".
"It is by turns funny, poignant, thrilling, and sad," they added. "We know Al Mackay will bring his love of real-world characters to tell Tony’s story with verve and energy."
When will The Cage be released?
The Cage is yet to confirm a release date or a release window, though will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Filming took place in locations around Liverpool and Merseyside, including Wirral, in early 2025, so given the time frame we could expect it to air very soon.
Who else is in The Cage?
You can expect to see the following:
• Sheridan Smith as Leanne
• Michael Socha as Matty
• Sue Jenkins as Shelagh
• Geraldine James
• Barry Sloane
• Freya Jones
• Sophie Mensah
• Ian Puleston-Davies
• Abby Mavers
• Shaun Mason
• Louis Emerick
• Julia Papp
• Katy Carmichael
• Dave Hart
• Eileen O'Brien
• Eithne Browne
• Mona Goodwin
What other British crime dramas can I watch right now?
If reading this has put you in the mood, we'd recommend The Responder, starring Martin Freeman as a Liverpudlian former Inspector who's reduced in the ranks to night-shift uniform work. Series two is on BBC iPlayer.
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sees Sarah Lancashire embody the role of non-nonsense copper Catherine Cawood, who has to fight resistance in the force and her own family when her late daughter's rapist is released from prison. All three series are on BBC iPlayer.
There are now five series of The Bay, the Morecambe-set prodedural that investigates missing persons and murder in the Lancashire seaside resort. All five are available on ITVX.
The Cage is yet to confirm a release date, though it will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
Editor, Digital Spy Chris has over 25 years' experience as a writer and editor, having worked as a journalist covering TV and movies since the '90s. Starting out as a TV listings editor at the Press Association, he was quickly hired by the nascent Heat magazine, where he rose to become Senior Editor, interviewing the likes of Simon Cowell, Boris Johnson and Paris Hilton. Over the years he has written about entertainment with clarity and wit for Heat, Elle, Q, The Telegraph and of course Digital Spy, and has served many times as a judge in the Royal Television Society awards. He has written and recorded a novelty single with Lord Lloyd-Webber, written scripts for the National TV Awards, made Noel Edmonds cry, accidentally punched an Inbetweener and stolen a small piece of rubble from the Battle of Hogwarts movie set. (They can't have it back.) LinkedIn
