‘Grief does strange things...'

On location in Ireland, Julie Graham tells us betrayal, lust and manipulation are at the heart of her new thriller

- Victoria Wilson

Suffering a bereavement is a difficult time in anyone’s life, and many people seek out support from others.

But the grieving family at the centre of Channel 5’s new psychological thriller Penance are torn apart when a seemingly kind stranger enters their lives…

Airing over three consecutive nights this week, the story follows devoted mother Rosalie Douglas (Shetland star Julie Graham), who’s left devastated by the news that her son, Rob, has drowned while on holiday in Thailand.

Trying to come to terms with the loss, Rosalie and her daughter Maddie (Millie Inbetween’s Tallulah Greive) attend bereavement counselling, where they meet Jed (Hollyoaks and Rillington Place star Nico Mirallegro), a young man struggling with his own grief. Will Rosalie listen to her confidant, priest Tom (Homeland’s Art Malik), who’s concerned about how little they really know about Jed?