‘Mayday’ episode 1 – Info & Picture Gallery

‘Mayday‘ begins its 6-part series on BBC One, on 3 March at 9pm and will continue on consecutive days.

It’s May Day and a small community waits excitedly for this year’s pagan parade to begin. Local teenager and dark horse, Linus Newcombe, watches woefully as the love of his life, Caitlin Sutton, kisses a rival. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Caitlin’s twin and the beautiful young May Queen, Hattie Sutton, travels on her journey to appear as the town’s symbol of new life.
On her journey she catches Linus’s father Everett’s eye as she rides by on her bicycle, before passing PC Alan Hill, who makes his way home after a difficult shift. Meanwhile, wealthy community figure and property developer Malcolm Spicer smokes a cigarette, waiting for his nagging wife Gail to leave the house – is that malice in his eyes as Hattie cycles past? Lastly, Spiritual local misfit Seth dances a jig, disguised as a ‘Green Man’ and watching on as sinister morris men circle Hattie, chanting a foreboding pagan ditty.

At the parade, Fiona Hill – wife of Alan and ex-copper, now housewife, struggles to get her three kids to the festivities on time, wondering when Alan will show. Meanwhile, wannabe local hero Steve Docker helps to organize the parade, wary that oddball Seth might at any point ruin his do-good image.

When the innocent and well-loved Hattie fails to appear, the town is sent spinning by the knowledge that someone in their midst has taken her. Linus, Fiona, Gail and Steve must face the hardest question: what do you do when you suspect a loved one of a terrible crime?

Sophie Okonedo plays Fiona Hill, Peter McDonald plays Alan Hill, Lesley Manville plays Gail Spicer, Peter Firth plays Malcolm Spicer, Sam Spruell plays Steve Docker and Tom Fisher plays Seth Docker, Max Fowler plays Linus Newcombe, Aidan Gillen plays Everett Newcombe, Leila Mimmack plays Caitlin/Hattie Sutton, David Flynn plays James Spicer, Hannah Jean-Baptiste plays Charlotte, Richard Hawley plays Richard Sutton, Caroline Berry plays Jo Sutton.