A major element of Passenger is fear and what that emotion can make people do. “For Riya, Chadder feels like a safe space in a way but there’s also a lot of frustration. It’s fear that keeps her there and it’s fear that affects and shapes the local community. What do we do when we have to face those feelings? And to what lengths do we go to avoid facing those fears?” asks Mosaku.

Even though the actor has been involved in several thriller-esque projects, she’s not typically a fan of the genre as a viewer. “It’s not something I tend to watch as I don’t like the feeling of being scared; I find myself drawn to light-hearted comedies,” she says. Mosaku is mostly drawn to good writing that “holds my attention” and that’s been clever dramas and thrillers of late. Interestingly, she enjoys reading thrillers but watching them? Not so much.

Rooted in the north of England, the Loki actor felt at home on set as she grew up just down the road in Manchester. “The warmth and welcoming energy of the north was definitely present on set.” However, as it’s Mosaku’s first time leading a show, she wanted to make sure the energy on set was light and joyful – especially when filming a thriller. The actor explains that she’s been on sets where the show’s lead has been grumpy or tense and she wanted to do things differently.

So, who did she take inspiration from? “Tom Hiddleston was such a joyful leader and you could ask him anything – he honestly knew the Loki scripts inside out – and I wanted my set to feel like that too.”

From Vigil to Happy Valley and now Passenger, we’ve seen several thrillers and crime dramas being led by women in recent years. But this series is one of the first British thrillers to be led by a Black woman, which is something that Mosaku hasn’t really seen before. Representation is important for the actor as it allows everyone to feel seen and valued, and we all deserve to see reflections of ourselves on screen.

“It feels great to have a Black full-figured woman lead on a TV show like this because whoever you are, whatever your background, you are the lead in your experiences.”

Passenger launches on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 24 March at 9pm

“Whoever you are, you are the lead in your own story”: Wunmi Mosaku on the power of fear and her new thriller Passenger