The cast has been confirmed for 5’s second season of Play for Today, with Doctor Who‘s Archie Panjabi and EastEnders star Kacey Ainsworth among those set for key roles.
The new season will be made up of six one-off films, with the first being titled Wild and starring Daniel Mays (A Thousand Blows), Joel Fry (Alice and Steve) and Amit Shah (Murder Before Evensong).
The synopsis for Wild, which is written by Lewis Wren and directed by BRICK, calls it a “survival dramedy set in the breath-taking yet unforgiving Scottish Highlands”.
The synopsis continues: “Lou (Mays), Dev (Shah), and Alistair (Fry), three old friends clinging to their annual wild camping tradition, begin with banter, nostalgia, and amateur vlogging, but soon unravel into a battle of egos, secrets, and survival when they get lost, food runs short, and friendships fracture.
“At once funny, poignant, and unsettling, Wild explores the line between adventure and recklessness, and how toxic masculinity has become a huge part of the epidemic decline in men’s mental health.”
The second film will be titled The Quiet Hour, and will star Panjabi alongside Paul Kaye (Small Prophets).
Written by Sarah Louise Madden and directed by Margo Roe, it will be set over the course of “one relentless night shift in an NHS hospital”.
The synopsis says: “Panjabi stars as Riya, an overworked nurse battling exhaustion, guilt, and the ghosts of past mistakes, while Kaye delivers a powerful turn as Fred, a combative amputee whose presence becomes one of the night’s most volatile challenges.
“As Riya grapples with a collapsing system, an understaffed ward, and a stream of emergencies — from dying patients to a medical error that nearly costs a life — her professional composure begins to fracture.
“Haunted by a past she can’t quite escape and the growing distance from her teenage daughter, Riya’s night spirals into a raw reckoning with compassion, burnout, and the quiet heroism that holds the health service together.”
The third film will be called Village Idiot and will star Phyllis Logan (Murder Most Puzzling), Max Harwood (Black Mirror), Angus Imrie (The Road Trip), Ainsworth and Kathryn Drysdale (Bridgerton).
The synopsis for the episode, which is written by Samson Hawkins and directed by Rhys Aaron Lewis, says: “Logan plays Barbara, a ferociously stubborn English grandmother who literally chains herself to her beloved cottage when it’s threatened with demolition by High Speed train developers.
“Harwood stars as Peter, the company’s smooth, painfully polite liaison dispatched to remove her – only to discover she’s also his estranged grandmother. What follows is a gloriously awkward battle of wills: Barbara’s weaponised stubbornness and talent for public protest versus Peter’s frantic attempts to keep his corporate career (and dignity) intact.
“As their standoff snowballs into a small‑town circus of press, protestors, and well‑meaning locals, both are forced to reckon with what “home” really means — and whether blood ties can survive locked gates, padlocks, and a very watchful village.
“Witty, warm, and sharply observed, Village Idiot captures rural England on the brink of change, balancing laugh‑out‑loud comedy with genuine emotional punch.”
The fourth film, Closing Time, stars Antonio Aakeel (Slow Horses) as Mo, while Ellora Torchia (House of the Dragon) plays Laila.
According to the synopsis for the episode, which is written by Mina Barber and directed by Dan Sloan, Mo is a “gifted migrant working in his uncle’s kebab shop”.
The synopsis continues: “Mo has always kept his culinary ambitions hidden until, during a late night of service, he meets Laila played by Torchia, a thoughtful lawyer trapped in a stagnant engagement.
“Their chance encounter begins a passionate affair built on late-night conversations and cooking sessions. As Laila encourages Mo to pursue his dreams despite his pending visa renewal, he challenges her to confront the life she’s settled for.”
Film 5, The Nine O’Clock Trot, stars Johnny Vegas (Red Dwarf) and Kalli Tant (Inside No. 9) and is described as a “darkly comic, emotionally resonant drama”.
According to the synopsis for the film, which is written by Joe McNally and directed by Harry Machray, it follows Annie (Tant), “a recent graduate who has spent six months caring full‑time for her grandfather.”
The synopsis continues: “Isolated, unemployed and broke, Annie is left reeling when he dies — and facing a funeral bill she cannot afford. With no family support and nowhere to turn, she keeps his death a secret, refusing a council public health funeral she finds unbearable.
“Desperate to give him a proper send‑off, Annie turns to the local parish priest, only to become entangled with Father Adam (Vegas), a troubled man facing his own reckoning. What begins as an act of love spirals rapidly out of control, forcing Annie to confront just how far she’s willing to go.
“Honest, warm and darkly funny, the film explores grief, social care, and the unseen weight of caring – and the extraordinary lengths we go to for those we love.”
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The final film, The Castle, follows three siblings, Connor, Jamie, and Mia, played by Oliver Nelson (After the Flood), Dylan Hughes (Ludwig) and Matilda Flower (Trying), who are left to fend for themselves after their mother suddenly disappears.
The synopsis for the film, which is written by Jack Bradfield and directed by Emma Turner, says that it sees them trying to keep their lives afloat, and “transforming their suburban house into a makeshift fortress as they wait for her return”.
“Told through the eyes of wildly imaginative middle-brother Connor, The Castle traces fraying sibling relationships, survival strategies, and the grand stories children tell each other to feel safe,” the synopsis continues. “A tender, soulful story about growing up too soon, and rescuing yourself before it’s too late.”
Play for Today is a relaunch of the TV strand which first aired on BBC One between 1970 and 1984. The first season of the 5 reboot aired last year, with stars such as Anita Dobson, Alan Davies and Jessica Plummer appearing in episodes.
This new season is set to launch later this year on 5.
Play for Today season 2 will air on 5.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
