Every company, every institution, every Government department has its secrets. From Deep Throat to Dr David Kelly, ‘whistleblowers’ have risked their careers, their reputations and even their lives to expose those secrets. And each episode of The Whistleblowers begs the question – could you?

Or, more truthfully, would you?

Richard Coyle (Coupling, The Libertine, Gunpowder Treason and Plot) and Indira Varma (Torchwood, Rome, Broken News) star as Ben Graham and Alisha Cole. Having themselves blown the cover on a secret Government policy on suspected terrorists, Ben and Alisha leave behind their jobs as lawyers to aid those brave enough to step forward, whatever the consequences.

The Whistleblowers is a six-part series created by the award-winning Tony Marchant (The Mark Of Cain, Passer By, Holding On, Recovery, Kid In The Corner), who writes three of the six episodes. One episode is written by real life whistleblower and ex immigration officer Tony Saint, another by ex teacher Steve Thompson and a sixth by Paul Logue (Sea of Souls). Carnival’s Managing Director Gareth Neame is executive producer and Sanne Wohlenberg (Funland) is producer. The first two episodes are directed by John McKay (Life On Mars), episodes 3 and 4 by Paul Gay (Skins) and episodes 5 and 6 by Richard Clark (Life on Mars).

Daniel Ryan (The Street, The Government Inspector, Consent) plays series regular Kenny Reed. Guest stars include David Threlfall (Shameless), Allan Corduner (Topsy Turvy, Friends and Crocodiles), Douglas Hodge (Mansfield Park, Scenes of a Sexual Nature), Sarah Smart (Funland, At Home With The Braithwaites), Adrian Dunbar (Murphy’s Law, The Crying Game), Ian Puleston-Davies (Funland, Vincent), Robert Pugh (Longford, Prime Suspect: The Final Act), Kerry Fox (Fanny & Elvis, Shallow Grave), Mark Bazeley (The Queen), Josette Simon (Lewis, Poirot) and George Costigan (See No Evil: The Moors Murders, The Long Firm).

Controller of ITV Drama Laura Mackie said: “The combination of Tony Marchant’s intelligent, thought-provoking and topical scripts and Carnival’s reputation for entertaining, quality popular series promises to deliver on ITV’s commitment to expand our range of original, contemporary drama.”

Gareth Neame added: “Little known before Watergate and met with support and derision in sometimes equal measure, the phenomenon of whistleblowing and those who risk their careers, families or even their lives to expose society’s wrongs have intrigued me for a while. Having admired movies such as All The Presidents Men and The Insider I became convinced that this was the premise for a sophisticated, original, challenging and entertaining returning drama series and we are delighted to be making it for ITV.”