ITV's new six-part crime drama Gone premieres on March 8, 2026, at 9pm, following detective Annie Cassidy as she investigates the disappearance of Sarah Polly. The series stars Eve Myles as the lead detective and David Morrissey as Sarah's husband, Michael Polly, a headmaster who becomes the prime suspect. Set and filmed in Bristol, the thriller explores themes of humanity and mystery within a prestigious private school environment.
The series Gone, written by George Kay, known for The Long Shadow, Hijack, and Lupin, begins with the sudden vanishing of Sarah Polly one afternoon, surprising her husband Michael and daughter Alana. DS Annie Cassidy, portrayed by Eve Myles, takes charge of the case, which soon deepens with a discovery that introduces more suspects and resurfaces old cases. Michael Polly, played by David Morrissey, is a headmaster at a prestigious school, described by the actor as someone "very aware of the legacy and fundraising in the world of public schools, and he carries the burden of making both the finances and the education work."
Eve Myles's character, Annie Cassidy, is a woman in her forties who is content in her job but lonely in her personal life, with her work defining everything she has. Myles explains, "She's happy in her job, but very lonely in her life. Her job actually is her life, it's everything she has and everything she thinks she needs at that point." The story unfolds against the backdrop of a private school, foreboding forests, and Bristol's quiet sprawl, turning a missing person case into a murder investigation.
Filming occurred primarily at Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, with location shoots at a school during the Easter holidays. Morrissey, who had not filmed in Bristol before, praised the city: "I’ve not been to Bristol much before, but I’ve loved being here. It’s a great city; vibrant, cultural, and very beautiful to look at." Myles described the series as "a deep psychological thriller... about what makes us human. What is a 'monster'. What is 'nature' and 'nurture'." Morrissey highlighted its uniqueness: "It’s a thriller... investigating crime in a world that has its own rules and regulations."
The cast includes Emma Appleton as Alana Polly, a teacher at her father's school; Jennifer Macbeth as DC Becky Hammond, Annie's assistant; and others such as Billy Barratt as Dylan Sedgwick, Elliot Cowan as Stephen Sedgwick, Rupert Evans as Rory Bowman, Nicholas Nunn as Paul Whitchurch, Jodie McNee as DC Nora Barker, Peter McDonald as Craig Stanhope, Arthur Hughes, Oscar Batterham, and Clare Higgins. Partly inspired by the book To Hunt a Killer, the career of former Detective Superintendent Julie Mackay of Gloucestershire Police, and ITV Crime Correspondent Robert Murphy's reporting on complex cases in the West of England, Gone airs on ITV1 and ITVX.
