“Like a Cross Between Black Doves and Broadchurch — ITV’s Latest Thriller Turns One Man’s Shame Into a Slow-Burn Nightmare Set in a Remote Scottish Village Where Obsession Festers, Secrets Rot Beneath the Surface, and Nothing Is as It Seems — And Viewers Are Calling It ‘Devastatingly Addictive.’ This Is ITV’s Darkest Psychological Thriller Since Black Doves”! He thought it would be a fresh start — a remote corner of Scotland where the past could finally stay buried. But some villages don’t forgive. And some pasts don’t die quietly. Starring Andrew Lincoln and Eve Myles, this six-part psychological descent blends the intimacy of domestic drama with the suffocating dread of obsession. As guilt curdles into paranoia and silence becomes a weapon, one man’s shame begins to unravel everything — his identity, his family, and the fragile peace they thought they’d found. Set against the mist-soaked isolation of the Scottish Highlands, this is not just a thriller — it’s a haunting study of what happens when the need to protect becomes the need to control. Already hailed as “the most devastating series of the year,” it’s essential viewing for fans of Black Doves, Broadchurch, and Mare of Easttown. Coldwater doesn’t just pull you in — it possesses you.

ITV drops gripping first look at 6-part thriller that Black Doves fans will love

Cold Water stars The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln and Broadchurch’s Eve Myles

ITV has released a thrilling first look at Cold Water, a new six-part series from the team behind Black Doves – and it promises to be a must-watch for fans of tense and twisty dramas.

Set in the fictional village of Coldwater, in Scotland, The Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln plays a depressed middle-aged man named John, who secretly hates his life as a stay-at-home dad.

Remarking on the upcoming thriller, HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: “Cold Water marks Andrew Lincoln’s return to British TV screens after over a decade. I’ve been a huge fan of the actor since first seeing him as lovesick Mark in Love Actually and as confident leader Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead. I can’t wait to see him take on a very different role in this upcoming thriller.”

Produced by SISTER (Black Doves, Eric, This Is Going to Hurt, Chernobyl), the series is directed by Lee Haven Jones (Passenger, Ruth, Doctor Who) for the first three episodes, with Andrew Cumming (Shetland, Payback, Cold Feet) leading the final three

Intrigued? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the new series…

The show follows John, a man disillusioned with his stay-at-home dad role
The show follows John, a man disillusioned with his stay-at-home dad role

What is Cold Water about?

Andrew Lincoln plays John, a repressed dad stuck in middle age and who is “secretly raging” at his life as a stay-at-home parent.

The official synopsis continues: “When his failure to intervene in a violent confrontation in a playground brings his identity crisis to a head, John ups and moves his family to the rural idyll of Coldwater, as far away from London as possible.

“Upon arrival, John is quickly befriended by next-door neighbour Tommy (Ewen Bremner), a charming, confident man, devoted husband to the local vicar Rebecca (Eve Myles). He is a man of faith, a pillar of the community and self-appointed leader of the village’s all-male book group.

INDIRA VARMA as Fiona in Cold Water
Indira Varma plays John’s wife Fiona

“John is both impressed and slightly fascinated by Tommy. His wife Fiona (Indira Varma) despises him. As a successful former chef hoping to launch a new venture in Coldwater, Fiona sees the move as an opportunity to leave the past behind them.

“To not only re-build their lives as a family but re-ignite the long-lost spark in their fading marriage. When her husband’s relationship with their enigmatic new neighbour becomes increasingly intense, Fiona’s suspicions are aroused. She is unconvinced Tommy is all he seems to be.

“But John remains blissfully unaware that Tommy is harbouring horrifying secrets, and it’s only after a series of unsettling incidents start to occur that John begins to wonder who the real Tommy actually is.

Eve Myles is Rebacca
Eve Myles is Rebecca

“And when John’s long-repressed rage comes to a head with disastrous results, he soon finds himself unexpectedly indebted to his new friend.

“This is the story of a normal man, in a normal marriage, who finds himself in a far from normal situation. A man who discovers a newfound sense of his own power, right at the moment he falls under the influence of someone incredibly dangerous.”

The thriller is set to hit screens this autumn
The thriller is set to hit screens this autumn

Who stars in Cold Water?

Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead, Teachers) heads up the six-parter, alongside Ewen Bremner (Our Flag Means Death, Trainspotting), Indira Varma (Obsession, Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Eve Myles (Broadchurch, Hijack, Keeping Faith).

Andrew Lincoln stars in the new ITV thriller Cold Water
John’s failure to intervene in a violent confrontation brings his identity crisis to a head

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *