House of Horror

Emily Reid and Emmett J Scanlan star in a psychological thriller about the fatal consequences of an affair...

- Steven Perkins

The Deceived Monday-Thursday, Channel 5 HD, 9 pm

Lisa McGee is best known as the creator of hit C4 sitcom Derry Girls, but there’s a much darker tone to her latest project, the four-part psychological thriller The Deceived.

The Channel 5 drama, being shown across consecutive nights this week, begins as English student Ophelia Marsh (Emily Reid) embarks on an affair with her charismatic professor Dr.Michael Callaghan (Emmett J Scanlan), who is married to Roisin Mulvery (Catherine Walker), a famous author.

‘Michael is an English professor at Cambridge and a wannabe novelist – but it is his beautiful wife who has become a very successful author,’ explains Peaky Blinders star Scanlan. ‘Michael finds that challenging to live with, and doesn’t like playing second fiddle to anyone.

‘He has affairs with his students and plays on people’s vulnerabilities. He drops hints to Ophelia that he’s unhappy, and that she’s the only woman he cares about. He’s jealous of the attention that Roisin has earned over the years – and his jealousy manifests in destructive ways.’

When Michael goes missing without warning, Ophelia tracks him down to his home town in Ireland, where she discovers Roisin has recently died in a fire – just after Michael told her about their affair.