After his hugely successful stint in The Walking Dead, Andrew Lincoln is making his long-awaited return to British television in ITV’s upcoming thriller Cold Water, and fans don’t have long to wait! First-look images show the actor in character as John, a disillusioned stay-at-home dad grappling with a deepening identity crisis.
When John fails to intervene in a violent playground altercation, the incident becomes a turning point -prompting him to uproot his family from London to the quiet, seemingly idyllic village of Coldwater.
But as he begins to settle in and form new friendships, it becomes clear that not everything in Coldwater is as peaceful as it seems…
When is Cold Water on ITV?
The new drama Cold Water will have six episodes and is coming to ITV on Sunday 14th September at 9pm.
The Cold Water trailer
ITV has released a gripping trailer for Cold Water, and it’s every bit as unsettling as you’d expect. The teaser opens with ominous music as Fiona (Indira Varma), John’s wife, reveals that they’ve been invited to dinner by their neighbours.
We then meet those neighbours: Rebecca (Eve Myles) is shown coaching her husband with lines like “big smiles” and “we’re delighted to see them” before greeting her guests with a beaming grin. But is this just nervous hospitality, or is something darker lurking beneath the surface?
During the evening, John expresses his fondness for Tommy, though Rebecca’s unease is obvious. Her blunt admission - “he makes my skin crawl” - sets the tone for the tension that follows.
The trailer then flickers through more unsettling moments: the couple reading a newspaper headline, “Who killed Suzie Bissett?”; John being menaced in a corner shop before spiralling into a panic attack in his car; and finally, a house engulfed in flames, with Tommy (Ewen Bremner) watching coldly as someone announces that a body has been discovered in the woods. It’s classic crime drama territory, but with an edge that suggests something far more sinister at play.
When the trailer ends, we hear a whisper of "everything's under control" and a manic-looking Tommy with a smile on his face, as John looks majorly concerned.
Who's in the Cold Water cast?
A fantastic set of actors are joining Andrew Lincoln in Cold Water. Here's the complete cast list so far:
• Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead, Teachers, Love Actually) as John
• Eve Myles (Keeping Faith, Torchwood, The Guest) as Rebecca
• Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting, Moving On) as Tommy
• Indira Varma (Obsession, Paranoid) as Fiona
What is Cold Water about?
"Upon arrival (to Coldwater), John is quickly befriended by next-door neighbour Tommy, a charming, confident man, devoted husband to the local vicar Rebecca. He is a man of faith, a pillar of the community and self-appointed leader of the village’s all-male book group.", the synopsis says.
John is both impressed and slightly fascinated by Tommy. His wife Fiona 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.
And when John’s long-repressed rage comes to a head with disastrous results, he soon finds himself unexpectedly indebted to his new friend."
Writer David Ireland (who's also a playwright and actor) said, “Cold Water started with a question I was asking myself. Where do I want to live – the countryside or the city? Such an innocent beginning, but from it came this dark, funny, twisted thriller.
"I was delighted when Sister loved the script and thrilled when ITV decided to commission it. And I’m amazed we’ve managed to attract such a peerless cast, led by the formidable Andrew Lincoln. I hope viewers wil find it intoxicating.”
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.