The Curfew: Plot, start date, and locations of Channel 5 crime drama set in a dystopian society where women make the rules
The show, where women hold all the power, is an adaptation of the novel After Dark by Jayne Cowie
The Curfew is the latest crime thriller to land on Channel 5, after its original release on Paramount+ in October 2024. Based on a bestselling novel, it explores themes of gender, safety, and surveillance.
The series brings together a fantastic cast including Sarah Parish, Mandip Gill, and Anita Dobson. The compelling premise is set in a dystopian world where men’s movements are restricted by strict rules.
But, when someone commits a heinous crime, it throws ordered society into chaos. Could a man have been responsible, despite the controlled environment they are living in?
Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming Channel 5 crime drama The Curfew, including plot, cast, start date, and location…
What’s the plot of The Curfew on Channel 5?
Crime thriller The Curfew on Channel 5 is set in an alternate universe where all men and boys over 10 live under The Women’s Safety act. They are all bound by a strict curfew from 7pm to 7am every night. An ankle tag tracks their every move 24 hours a day.
Men cannot move in with partners without a government-vetted “cohabitation certificate”. Women feel safe to walk the streets at night, and walk home alone. They don’t fear violent attacks or sexual assaults. However, this all changes when a crime takes place in a relatively crime free environment.
The synopsis tells us: “Maverick Detective Pamela Green suspects a man is responsible when a dead body is found on the steps of the Women’s Safety Centre during curfew hours. This threatens to unravel the revered Women’s Safety Act and those determined to protect it at all costs.”
In a world where men are under curfew at night and an ankle tag tracks their every move, is it possible for a man to have committed a crime?
Pamela, reluctantly partnered with eager rookie DC Eddie Wilson, sets about finding what happened to the victim.
The Curfew on Channel 5 filming locations
The Curfew is set in and around London, where it was also filmed. Production of the six-part thriller took place in early 2024, with cast and crew also filming some scenes in the nearby county of Berkshire, and the South East of England.
While many scenes were shot on location to capture the series’ alternative reality, significant portions of the production were based at or near filming studios. Key locations used include Manygate Lane Estate in Shepperton, a modernist residential community built in Shepperton, Surrey in 1964. It’s close to Shepperton Studios, and often used for filming. It was also home to legend Tom Jones in the 60s!
Shepperton Studios was a central hub for the production, where elaborate sets were constructed to represent the world of the Women’s Safety Act.
Viewers might also recognise the residential street of St Nicholas Drive within Shepperton. In episode 3, viewers see police officer Pamela visit the home of the victim Helen Jones, and the cute house was filmed on St Nicholas Drive. The road is described as an “idyllic location in Old Shepperton”. Shepperton is known for its bustling high street, with independent shops, pubs and restaurants. It’s actually less than an hour from London Waterloo on the train.
The Curfew is NOT to be confused with the 2019 Sky series of the same name, which was filmed in Manchester and Cheshire.
Who is in the cast of The Curfew on Channel 5?
The Cufew on Channel 5 stars a pretty impressive cast led by Sarah Parish as Detective Pamela Green. Of course, TV viewers will know Sarah best for her roles in Peak Practice, Hearts and Bones, Cutting It, Mistresses, Monroe, and Bancroft.
Mandip Gill plays Sarah, a character who works at a tagging center. Mandip is known for playing Doctor Who, and recent C5 detective drama Cooper & Fry.
Alexandra Burke stars as Helen, in her first TV acting role. She is better known as a singer. She famously won the fifth series of The X Factor in 2008, and subsequently released her own music. She’s also made quite the name for herself in West End musicals.
Larry Lamb appears as Rhys. He’s famous for playing Mick Shipman in Gavin & Stacey, and Archie Mitchell in EastEnders.
Lucy Benjamin plays DCI Sue Ferguson. She’s also known for EastEnders, having played Lisa Fowler on and off between 1998 to 2023.
And another EastEnders icon appearing in The Curfew is Anita Dobson. She plays Janet in the thriller but, of course, is most famous for portraying Angie Watts in the BBC One soap.
Bobby Brazier stars as James. Bobby, son of Jeff, is yet another Easties former cast member. He played Freddie Slater between 2022 and 2025. The Curfew is his second TV role. He took part in the 21st series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2023.
The ensemble cast also includes Mayflies actor Mitchell Robertson as Eddie.
Is it based on a book?
Channel 5 series The Curfew is adapted from the novel After Dark by Jayne Cowie. The 2022 book introduces a world where women hold all the power. They dominate workplaces, public spaces and government.
The synopsis for the book continues: “Women are no longer afraid to cross a dark car park, catch the last train, or walk home alone. With the Curfew law in place, all men are electronically tagged and must stay at home after 7pm. It changed things for the better. Until now.
“A woman is murdered late at night and evidence suggests she knew her attacker. It couldn’t have been a man because a Curfew tag is a solid alibi… Isn’t it?”
The Sun called the book “unsettling”, while author John Marrs said: “So timely, so relevant and so remarkably written.”
Was The Curfew on Paramount+?
The UK original drama series Curfew landed on Paramount+ in the UK and Ireland on Thursday, October 10, 2024. In fact, it is still available to subscribers.
It was called Curfew, but Channel 5 have done their thing and added the additional The. See previous Channel 5 thrillers The Game, The Feud, The Drowning, and The Rumour for reference.
TV viewers shouldn’t confuse this 2024 production with the 2019 Sky One series of the same name. That series, starring Sean Bean, follows a group of amateur drivers from all over the world as they compete in an illegal night-time street race.
How many episodes is it?
The Channel 5 series The Curfew is a six-part series.
Each episode is around 45 minutes long.
What year is The Curfew set?
The dystopian show is set in a near-future Britain where all men are forced to live under a strict curfew from 7am 7pm, monitored by ankle tags.
Although the series doesn’t exactly specify what year it is, it’s clear from the building, and car models that it’s very much within this century.
When’s the start date and what days are new episodes released?
The crime thriller The Curfew will land on Channel 5 in February 2026.
The six-part series will arrive as a boxset to watch on 5’s streaming service on Monday, February 16, 2026. The first episode will also air that day on Channel 5 at 10pm. Episode 2 and 3 will follow on consecutive days the same week.
- So episode one will air at 9pm on Monday, February 16, 2026.
- Episode two will follow the next day, Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
- The third episode will air on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
- Episodes 4 to 6 will air Monday to Wednesday the following week.
Curfew – as it is called on Paramount+ – is still available to watch on the streaming platform, too, to those with a subscription.
