When it comes to autumnal Sunday nights, there’s only one thing on the TV agenda: a BBC crime drama that grips the nation. Fans of Line of Duty and Bodyguard should set a reminder now for Showtrial, the producers’ latest offering that starts this weekend – over five episodes, it tells the story of a high-profile court case that sees a privileged young woman charged with conspiracy to commit murder. When student Talitha Campbell (Celine Buckens), the estranged daughter of a billionaire property developer, is accused of murdering a fellow student, her fate rests in the hands of solicitor Cleo Roberts (Tracy Ifeachor). The wealthy family soon find itself in the eye of a media storm as the nation questions whether Campbell is a damaged scapegoat or cold-blooded killer.
Putting a spotlight on both the legal system and the police, Showtrial explores the impact of prejudice, politics and the media. “The first two utterly absorbing episodes writhe with tension, setting the scene before the trial begins,” says Stylist Loves deputy editor Annie Simpson. “It’s immediately obvious that the dynamic between Campbell and Roberts is pivotal to the entire plot and that beneath the student’s privilege, cocky facade and shocking lack of empathy lies something much deeper – but the question remains, what? Though initially unlikeable, it’s through this burgeoning relationship that we see Campbell’s truth and decipher whether she really is capable of her crimes.” Consider the Vigil-shaped hole in your life filled… Starts Sunday 31 October, 9pm, BBC One