SHERIDAN SMITH'S LIVERPOOL RETURN CONFIRMED AS BBC ANNOUNCE NEW DRAMA FROM CREATOR OF THE RESPONDER

Sheridan Smith has been announced as the lead star in a new BBC drama set in Liverpool. The upcoming show is named The Cage and has been written by The Responder creator, Tony Schumacher.

The story is described as "a high-stakes, high energy crime story set within the world of a Liverpool casino with two unforgettable characters at its heart". Sheridan, renowned for her roles in Cilla, will play Leanne in the show, which will comprise five episodes.

The character will discover she is robbing from the same casino safe as her colleague Matty, who is played in the show by Michael Socha. The discovery will set their lives on a collision course with each other, the local gangster they're stealing from, and the police.

READ MORE: BBC's Natasha Raskin Sharp's life after 'eight months of no sleep' and link to former US president

READ MORE: Antiques Roadshow expert apologises for 'shouting' as he spots 'controversial' Liverpool item

It is Tony's second major drama with the BBC and the writer, who hails from Huyton, is excited to once again work in his home region. He told the BBC: "Coming back to the BBC with my second major show and being able to work with such talents as Sheridan, Michael and the teams at Element Pictures and the BBC is such an honour.

On top of that, having a director of [Al Mackay's] calibre really is the cherry on the big Liverpool drama cake we're baking together. I'm hoping people will find it funny, dark, but most of all full of love, life and entertainment and I can't wait for the world to see it.”

The Cage is an Element Pictures (a Fremantle company) production and was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. Ms Salt said: "The Cage is character-driven, hugely entertaining and full of heart, and I’m delighted that Tony has chosen the BBC to be the home of his second series following on from the success of The Responder.

"With Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha leading the cast, Al Mackay directing and the team at Element Pictures producing, viewers are in for a treat.” Sheridan has shared snaps in Liverpool over the weekend ahead of the announcement.

Sheridan originally hails from Lincolnshire, but she has been an adopted Scouser ever since she played Cilla Black in the 2014 ITV series based on the life of the Blind Date presenter. She spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview at the Bolan's Shoes premiere in 2023 and said why she always loves staying in the city.

She said: "The people are so friendly here. They always give me a big hug and make me feel welcome. There's such a buzz here. Even just driving in here today, I was like I've come home. It's just the greatest city."

"I love Liverpool. I've got earrings saying Scouser and I should have worn them tonight. I love this city." Tony will be hoping to repeat the huge success of The Responder with his new show.

The writer channelled his experience as a former police officer into the hard-hitting crime drama, which stars Martin Freeman. He told the ECHO in an exclusive interview how he hit rock bottom when he quit the force in 2006 after suffering a nervous breakdown due to the stresses of the job.

He said: "I went completely off the end and resigned from the job. I couldn't go back to work. What I hadn't done was planned for a future because I was so ill.

"I had nowhere to live, my marriage had broken down and I ended up living out of my car by Crosby beach for about two months. I had nothing and, had my car MOT not been due, I'd probably still be there. I thought I'm going to lose the car here and If I lose the car, then I'm knackered.

"A mate of mine reached out to me and he got me a place to live and I started this slow recovery." Tony is thankful he didn't suffer from addiction issues as this meant he was able to get his life back on track by getting a job as a taxi driver.

The new job changed the direction of his life in a way he never expected, and allowed him to pursue the original dream when former editor of Liverpool Confidential, Angie Sammons, got in the back of his cab and the two struck up a conversation. He said: "I just told her I was a writer and I don't know why I did because I hadn't written anything for 30 years at that point.

"She said 'well, send me some stuff' and my whole life changed in that moment. I went home that night and wrote something. She bought it and I became a writer."

Tony's career has continued to go from strength to strength since that moment as he has published several books and pivoted into screenwriting after he was mentored by Jimmy McGovern.

Tony is proud to have been shaped by the city he now proudly represents on the cultural stage. He said: "I love the city and I love the people. I was sitting in a cafe in Toxteth the other day and I was waiting 10 minutes for my mate and I was just listening to the conversation. It's the best city in the world and there's no getting away from it."

2025-03-24T12:30:03Z