ITV’s Code Of Silence: All The Details

By Olivia Emily

2 days ago

Everything you need to know about this gripping lip-reading drama, launching in May

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Enjoying Reunion? The BBC’s landmark bilingual drama precedes another thrilling drama with a deaf actor at the centre: Rose Ayling-Ellis (who coincidentally has a role in Reunion, too). In Code of Silence, Rose is Alison Brooks, a sharp and determined deaf woman with remarkable lip-reading skills. Here’s everything you need to know before the show airs next month.

ROSE AYLING-ELLIS as Alison Brooks in Code of Silence. (Mammoth Screen/ITV)

Code Of Silence: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

First announced by ITV in May 2023, Code of Silence is an upcoming six-part thriller exploring the intersection between crime and communication. Written and created by Catherine Moulton (who drew on her own experiences with lip-reading and hearing loss to craft the series) and directed by Diarmuid Goggins, ITV’s head of drama calls Code of Silence ‘a thrilling drama that audiences will be gripped and surprised by’, highlighting how this ‘mainstream crime show’ will ‘make a real difference to the audience’s understanding of the Deaf community’. Here’s what it’s about.

ROSE AYLING-ELLIS as Alison Brooks and KIERON MOORE as Liam Barlow in Code of Silence. (Mammoth Screen/ITV)

What Will Happen?

Code of Silence centres on Alison (Ayling-Ellis), a deaf canteen worker at a police station by day and moonlighting at a bar. Juggling two jobs and struggling to make ends meet, she’s grappling to support her deaf mother Julie (Fifi Garfield) when she captures the attention of DS Ashleigh Francis (Charlotte Ritchie). Alison is an adept lip-reader, and Ashleigh asks for help interpreting the covert conversations of a dangerous criminal gang in a high-stakes investigation.

Alison’s work quickly becomes vital to the investigation, and she is plunged into an exhilarating new world. But all gets complicated when she finds herself drawn to one of the suspects, Liam (Keiron Moore). Despite the risks, Alison can’t let go.

Code Of Silence Trailer

The Code Of Silence Cast

Code of Silence is led by deaf actor, author, TV presenter and Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling-Ellis. Cutting her teeth on EastEnders from 2020 to 2022, she has recently starred in Ludwig and Reunion, as well as an episode of the current series of Doctor Who. When Code of Silence was first announced, Rose told ITV she was ‘so thrilled’ to be part of the project. ‘When I first read Catherine Moulton’s script it was obvious that her first-hand experiences and understanding has enabled her to write a truly authentic character and I knew I had to be a part of this project,’ she said ‘I am so delighted ITV are as excited as we are to bring this to life and I can’t wait to get to started!’

In Code of Silence, Rose is joined by Ghosts star Charlotte Ritchie and Black Doves star Andrew Buchan. The full cast is as follows: