Falling (TV series)

Falling
GenreRomantic drama
Created byJack Thorne
Written byJack Thorne
Directed by
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
ProducerJoe Donaldson
Running time49 minutes
Production company
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release19 May (2026-05-19) –
3 June 2026 (2026-06-03)

Falling is a British romantic drama television series. It is written by Jack Thorne for Channel 4. The cast is led by Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu, alongside Rakie Ayola, Jason Watkins, Niamh Cusack, Adrian Scarborough and David Dawson.

The series premiered on 19 May 2026.[1]

Premise

A nun falls in love with a Catholic priest.[2] Both are deeply committed to their work in the church and in their community. Neither are expected to fall in love. But when they do, both are forced to wrestle with what it means for them, their vows, and their relationship with God.[3]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [4]UK viewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Peter HoarJack Thorne19 May 2026 (2026-05-19)N/A
2"Episode 2"Peter HoarJack Thorne20 May 2026 (2026-05-20)N/A
3"Episode 3"Peter HoarJack Thorne26 May 2026 (2026-05-26)N/A
4"Episode 4"Sasha RansomeJack Thorne27 May 2026 (2026-05-27)N/A
5"Episode 5"Sasha RansomeJack Thorne2 June 2026 (2026-06-02)N/A
6"Episode 6"Sasha RansomeJack Thorne3 June 2026 (2026-06-03)N/A

Production

The series is written by Jack Thorne and produced by The Forge. It was announced as an upcoming series for Channel 4 in February 2025.[5]

In April 2025, Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu were confirmed to be leading the cast, alongside Rakie Ayola, Jason Watkins, Niamh Cusack, Adrian Scarborough, David Dawson, Susan Brown, Sandra Voe and newcomers, Holly Rhys and Shayde Sinclair.[6]

Filming began in April 2025, with locations include Bristol and Cardiff, Wales.[7][8][9]

Reception

Reviews demonstrated a generally positive response from critics.

Ben Dowell at The Times awarded the series five stars, describing it as "spellbinding" and Hawes' performance as "exceptional".[10] Vicky Jessop at Metro awarded four stars, describing the "unusual love story" as "one of 2026’s best TV surprises".[11]

Cosmopolitan described the series as a "must-watch" and Hawes' best since Bodyguard.[12] The Telegraph described writer Jack Thorne's script as "characteristically elegant" and Hawes' performance as "divine".[13] Financial Times also commented on the script, noting it as having a "refreshing maturity", further describing the show as "quietly powerful" but an "old-fashioned and wordy drama", ultimately awarding it three stars.[14] Writing for the Radio Times, Gabriel Tate called the show "thoughtful, warm, witty, complex and chock-full of the sort of intimate one-to-one conversations in which Thorne specialises," giving it four stars.[15]

Lucy Mangan of The Guardian was less positive, awarding the series just two stars, describing it as "a swing and a miss...despite the talented actors at the helm".[16] Jayne Manfredi of the Church Times was similarly lukewarm, describing the drama as "beautifully-shot" but offering only "surface-level observation" of the themes presented.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Bell, Matthew (6 May 2026). "Jack Thorne on Falling, the Adolescence writer's first love story". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  2. ↑ Goldbart, Max (11 February 2025). "Channel 4 Confirms 'A Woman Of Substance' Remake On Splashy TV Drama Slate Featuring 'The Rachel Incident', 'Undeclared War' Season 2 & Daisy Haggard's Latest". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "Falling - Press Pack". Channel 4 Press. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  4. ↑ Cunnane, Charlotte (20 May 2026). "When To Watch The Next Episode Of 'Falling', Channel 4's New 'Life-Affirming' Love Story". Elle Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  5. ↑ McHugh, Marian (12 February 2025). "Channel 4 outlines six-strong drama slate". Broadcast Now. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  6. ↑ Ritman, Alex (24 April 2025). "Paapa Essiedu, Keeley Hawes to Lead Channel 4 Drama 'Falling'". Variety. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  7. ↑ Sayce, Rebecca (24 April 2025). "Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne's next UK drama is confirmed with exciting cast announcement". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  8. ↑ Molander, Joe (24 April 2025). "Filming begins on Jack Thorne drama Falling". rts.org.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  9. ↑ Jones, Branwen (4 September 2025). "Four massive TV shows are filming in Wales right now". walesonline. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  10. ↑ Dowell, Ben (20 May 2026). "Falling review - Keeley Hawes is exceptional in this tale of a nun in love". The Times. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Jessop, Vicky (20 May 2026). "Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu's unusual love story is one of 2026's best TV surprises". Metro (British newspaper). Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  12. ↑ ""Her best show since Bodyguard": Keeley Hawes' new gripping drama about forbidden love is a must-watch". Cosmopolitan. 19 May 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "What's on TV tonight and this week: Falling, Interior Design Masters, and more". The Telegraph. 19 May 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Nicholson, Rebecca (19 May 2026). "Falling TV review — Keeley Hawes stars in old-fashioned melodrama from Adolescence creator Jack Thorne". The Financial Times. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Tate, Gabriel (19 May 2026). "Falling review: Paapa Essiedu and Keeley Hawes are on top form in this unconventional love story". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 23 May 2026. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Mangan, Lucy (20 May 2026). "Falling review – Jack Thorne's religious romance is a god-awful mess". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  17. ↑ Manfredi, Jayne (26 May 2026). "TV review: Falling, and Rivals". Church Times. Archived from the original on 16 July 2026. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
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