BBC gets into The Cage with Element Pictures and The Responder’s Tony Schumacher

Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha

The BBC has commissioned crime drama The Cage, written and created by BAFTA-nominated Tony Schumacher, creator of The Responder.

Produced by Fremantle-owned Element Pictures (Poor Things, Normal People) for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, the five-parter is set in a Liverpool casino and stars Sheridan Smith (Cilla, The C Word) and Michael Socha (The Gallows Pole, Showtrial).

Schumacher said: “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.

“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 series was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. Hilary Martin serves as executive producer for Fremantle, Christopher Aird, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, alongside Schumacher and Smith. Lucy Richer is exec producing for the BBC and Clare Shepherd will produce.

Global sales will be handled by Fremantle.