Andrea Riseborough and Ashley Walters to lead new ITV1 thriller First Woman

It's a race against time like no other as a man's wife goes missing whilst visiting the moon!

With filming underway in Belfast, ITV1 has announced a new six-part thriller titled First Woman, which stars Andrea Riseborough and Ashley Walters.

When Ben Reith is woken in his London home to be told that his wife Claire has gone missing, it’s the start of a global news story, because Claire is an astronaut crewing the UK’s first moonbase and she’s disappeared into the long lunar night.

Claire is the first woman to set foot on the moon. A biologist taking part in a groundbreaking research project, her disappearance throws suspicion on her fellow astronauts and China’s rival base. With hundreds of thousands of miles between them, can Ben uncover the truth behind his wife's disappearance?

With the action switching between Mission Control in the UK and the lunar surface, this is a race against time like no other, with the remaining astronauts under increasing pressure and Ben hoping against hope that he and his wife can be reunited. But how well can two people really know each other?

On playing Claire in First Woman, Andrea Riseborough, said "As a kid, I dreamed, perhaps more than anything, of space. Of emptiness and stars, and the vastness of all that those ‘grounded’ reflected on in verse. I can’t imagine a kinder, bolder, braver team than Philip and Ashley with whom to step into that realm.  This will be endlessly compelling - I hope - for all who want to journey with us. I cannot wait."

To which Ashley Walters, on playing Ben, added "What an honour to be a part of such a bold and propulsive drama with a team of people that I have dreamt of working with. I always want to be a part of projects that make us converse and think outside the box. This one does just that."

Promising to be cinematic in scale and ambition, First Woman is co-produced by Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, Alcon Television Group and ZDF Germany, has been created by Lydia Yeoman and George, from his original idea, directed by Philip Martin, produced by Julia Stannard, and written by lead writer Lydia Yeoman, and George Oakes and Ben Schiffer.

Speaking ahead of the new series, director Philip Martin said "I was blown away reading Lydia and George’s brilliant scripts! It’s a rare thrill to find something so fresh, ambitious and emotional - and to have the chance to explore new worlds and tell such a powerful and deeply moving human drama in such an epic landscape!"

To which lead writer Lydia Yeoman added "Set in the exciting (and as-yet-unexplored) world of private space travel, First Woman is a thriller unlike anything else we’ve seen. This is the story of a marriage put through the ultimate test. It’s rare that you get given the opportunity to tell a story with such ambition and scope, and we’re eternally grateful to Polly at ITV and Alcon for allowing us to do that."

It'll be executive produced by Mammoth Screen’s founder and Chief Creative Officer Damien Timmer, alongside James Gandhi, Philip Martin, George Oakes and Lydia Yeoman. And Mammoth Screen’s Creative Director Rebecca Keane has overseen the development of the series. As well as Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Scott Parish, Diego Piasek and Ben Roberts serving as Executive Producer for Alcon Television Group.

Speaking about First Woman, ITV’s Director of Drama, Polly Hill, said "I wanted ITV to make this the moment I read it. The team that has come on board on and off screen is incredible, and a testament to the wonderful and original scripts. Ashley Walters and Andrea Riseborough are such exciting casting, and Philip Martin is going to take the audience on such an incredible journey, that I am thrilled to share with the audience."

To which executive producers James Gandhi and Damien Timmer, added "“We’re excited to partner with Alcon on what is going to be one of the most ambitious ITV dramas ever made. First Woman will keep global audiences on the edge of their seats - it’s the ultimate emotional rollercoaster."

And Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson on behalf of Alcon Television Group, said "First Woman is a gripping, character-driven thriller set against the backdrop of the modern space race, and we’re excited to partner with Mammoth Screen and ITV to bring this compelling story to audiences around the world."

UNIT VFX will work in close partnership with Mammoth Screen and Alcon to deover creative visual effects during production, while POLI PRODUCTIONS creative Rob Carlisle collaborates with Philip Martin and Production Designer Gillian Devenney to create the spectacular lunar vistas.

First Woman will air on ITV1