The eagerly anticipated thrilling new crime drama filmed in Bolton and written by acclaimed local actor screens tonight.

Set in the fictional town of Chadder Vale, the community suddenly starts experiencing strange crimes and secrets hidden for a long time start to come to light.

Six-part drama Passenger marks Andrew Buchan’s debut as a writer.

And key scenes are filmed in Bolton, with production crews seen in Westhoughton last year, sparking much excitement.

The Rivington and Blackrod School old boy best as a grieving father in Broadchurch, a 19th-century solicitor in Garrow’s Law or Andrew Parker-Bowles in The Crown, but he’s hoping to become more famous for his way with words rather than his face.

The Bolton News: Release date announced for new series written by Bolton's Andrew Buchan Image: NQ

he’s rather overwhelmed by the idea that it’s about to debut on the small screen, with help from ITV, BritBox and production company Sister.

“I feel very lucky and very flattered they’ve gone with these scripts and I’m going to work my backside off to make them the best they can be,” said Buchan last year when the project was announced. “I’ve always loved shows where the known collides with the unknown, where you see communities faced with something horrifying and inexplicable, where, as a viewer, you’ve nothing in your kit-bag to explain it.

“When I started writing the scripts, I wanted to create something epic and unknown but also bed it somewhere close to home. Having grown up in Lancashire it felt like the perfect place for it. We’ll definitely see the residents of Chadder Vale pushed to their limits.”

Chadder Vale is a fictional small northern town, where ex-Met police detective Riya Ajunwa now plies her trade. She’s been there for five years and is chronically bored – until local girl Katie Wells disappears. However, almost before Riya can begin her investigation, Katie turns up again and life goes on as normal – until a series of increasingly horrific crimes take place.

The Bolton News: Jim Bracknell (played by David Threlfall) in Passenger. Pic: ITV

The residents refuse to acknowledge that something strange is going on. Despite that, Riya is determined to unearth the truth – but is she prepared for what lies ahead?

“Andy has an incredible ear for character; brilliantly blending the comedy and idiosyncrasies of everyday life with such a twisted, horrifying vision of such gleeful inventiveness we were blown away,” say executive producers Jane Featherstone and Lucy Dyke. “The fact this is his first screenplay makes it even more remarkable.”

Wunmi Mosaku, David Threlfall, Jo Hartley and Debbie Rush star, breathing life into Buchan’s words.

The drama is available now on ITVX or on ITV tonight at 9pm.