The Cage is another intense BBC1 crime drama set in and around Liverpool from the pen of The Responder creator Tony Schumacher.
Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha play two casino workers who discover they are both taking money from the work safe. This then puts them on a collision course not just with one another but also the police and the local gangster they are stealing from.
Here’s everything you need to know about five-part BBC1 drama The Cage…
The Cage release date
The Cage is a five-part series coming to on BBC1 and BBCiPlayer, likely at the end of 2025 or early 2026. When a date is announced, we’ll update this page.
The Cage plot
The Cage follows Leanne (Sheridan Smith) and Matty (Michael Socha) who work at an inner-city casino in Liverpool and are both helping themselves to cash from the safe. But when they each realise the other is up to the same thing, their lives collide with huge consequences and both must stay ahead of each other, the police and the gangster whose money they have taken.
The Cage cast — Sheridan Smith as Leanne
In The Cage, Sheridan Smith plays casino worker Leanne. Sheridan has previously starred in a number of hit shows under her belt, having starred in Cilla, The C Word, Mrs Biggs and Gavin and Stacey. She’s also been in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, The Castaways, Benidorm, Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything, The Teacher and Four Lives.
Michael Socha as Matty
Michael Socha plays casino thief Matty in The Cage. Earlier in 2025, Michael played errant dad Peter in the Netflix series Toxic Town and in 2024, starred in Showtrial season 2 and DI Ray. He’s also been in The Gallows Pole, Skint, This Is England, Casualty, Being Human, Once Upon a Time and Chernobyl.
Who else is starring in the cage?
The rest of The Cage cast has yet to be announced but we will update this page when names are released.
Is there a trailer?
No it's far too early for a trailer for The Cage, but if the BBC release one, we’ll put it up on here.
Behind the scenes, filming, locations and more on The Cage
The Cage is filming in Liverpool in 2025. The drama is an Element Pictures (a Fremantle company) production and 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 Tony Schumacher and Sheridan Smith. Lucy Richer serves as executive producer for the BBC and Clare Shepherd will produce.
Global sales will be handled by Fremantle. Al Mackay (Without Sin) is the director.
“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,” says Tony Schumacher.
“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.”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, adds: “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.”
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