The show stars Siobhan Finneran, Nadine Marshall and Katherine Kelly. 

ITV have revealed details of a new thriller series set in the murky world of witness protection. The show comes from screenwriter Kris Mrksa (White House Farm) and production company, New Pictures (Des, The Missing).

Protection is based on an idea by a specialist who served in the Met for 30 years. During his career, he looked after high-profile cases and informants, including war criminals, terrorists and criminals of all kinds.

Here’s what ITV have to say about Protection:

Based on the first-hand experiences of a long serving witness protection officer, Protection is about what happens when the system breaks down. It’s about a police officer, Detective Inspector Liz Nyles (Siobhan Finneran), who finds herself at the heart of such a breach; personally compromised by an affair with a colleague, but determined to fight back, and uncover the true source of corruption within her unit. To redeem herself, the reputation of her lover, and to keep her witnesses safe. Even if they don’t always deserve it. 

Navigating the morally-grey, clandestine world of witness protection, Liz’s mission to find the truth will take her deep into the heart of the criminal underbelly and beyond as she becomes more and more torn between caring for her family, her loyalty to her lover and her duty as a police officer. This is the story of a smart, tough cop, out of her depth in a world where nothing is as it seems.

With a deft narrative that engages from the outset, Kris Mrksa creates suspenseful twists and with every hairpin turn perfectly navigates the story to ensure the audience won’t know who to believe and who is telling the truth.

Writer Kris Mrksa adds:

“Protection is a suspenseful conspiracy thriller, but it also explores some complex moral questions, about how far we should be prepared to go in order to serve the greater good. The murky world of witness protection, where hardened criminals are often sheltered, in the hope that they will help bring down other criminals, provides the perfect context for examining these thorny issues. I’m incredibly excited to be working with the team at New Pictures again, in bringing this complex world to life.”

The show’s executive producers are New Pictures‘ Willow Grylls, Charlie Hampton and Elaine Pyke, and Kris Mrksa. The producer is Rebecca Davies, line producer is Tracy Chapman. Protection’s directors are Simen Alsvik and Sasha Ransome, writers are Kris Mrksa, Polly Buckle and Giula Sandler.

The show has completed filming in Liverpool and airs on ITV and ITVX in 2024. We’ll keep you posted.