The Driver: Coming Soon to BBC1

Next week we welcome a new, three-part thriller drama to our screens. The Driver, airing on BBC One, sees the world of Manchester mini cab driver Vince, played by David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, The 7.39, The Deal), turned upside down when he agrees to drive for a criminal gang.

In the wake of a family mystery, Vince becomes frustrated with his humdrum family life and blames himself for his failures and shortcomings. His son is missing, and there has been a huge breakdown in communication between him and his wife. Unable to talk about their difficult situation, the tension and frustrations build up – and when the opportunity to drive for the gang arises, Vince views it as an exciting chance to escape his life crisis and turn his life around. However, things soon start to go wrong, and once he realises he has made a terrible decision Vince begins to yearn for his old way of living.

BAFTA-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst, known for his work on Clocking Off, Exile and Accused, explained: ‘The Driver is a passion project for me and I’m proud of the way it is both a character drama and a thriller. As with all my work there is a strong emotional core and it explores ordinary lives pushed into extraordinary situations’.

This gripping story, while demonstrating the dramatic consequences of making mistakes and making the wrong decision, is ultimately a redemptive tale. It demonstrates that life is not always black and white: the characters, though likeable, are also flawed, making us question our preconceptions of morality. Morrissey commented, ‘It’s an exciting thriller, that’s the bottom line…I think that ride is what you want people to take away. The exciting ride about everyday people in extraordinary circumstances, but one that is totally relatable. I think it’s about the moral choices people make in their lives today’.

Directed by Jamie Payne (Doctor Who, The White Queen, The Hour), the first of the three hour-long episodes will be aired on 23rd September.

We’ll be watching and reviewing this series here on Dead Good, so make sure you check back soon to see what we think and share your own thoughts!