James Nesbitt stars in underwater thriller The Deep

James Nesbitt, Minnie Driver and Goran Visnjic have begun filming on The Deep, a five-part thriller set thousands of feet below the Arctic ice for BBC One.

> Find out spoilers in our episode guide.


What's it about?

Simon Donald's scripted serial follows the crew of an oceanographic submarine as they search the final frontiers of Earth for unknown and remarkable life forms.

The thriller follows the submarine's crew to the final frontiers of earth in their quest for unknown and remarkable life forms. Inexplicable circumstances then cause catastrophe to strike. Stranded with no power, limited oxygen and no communication with the surface our crew reach crisis point. Can they stay alive long enough to uncover the mystery of something they have found themselves at the centre of? This is a global conflict and it is taking place at the furthest reaches of mankind.

Who's in it?

James Nesbitt (Occupation, Murphy's Law) stars as Clem Donnelly, alongside Minnie Driver (Circle Of Friends, Good Will Hunting) as Frances Kelly and Goran Visnjic (ER, Welcome To Sarajevo) as Samson.

> Read our interview with James Nesbitt.

What should we expect?

Greg Brenman, Head of Drama, Tiger Aspect Productions, says: "The Deep will offer a breathtaking, high-octane viewing experience, mixing non-stop jeopardy with a thrilling narrative drama from the headlines. It is testament to Simon Donald's gripping and expertly-crafted script that we have attracted such distinguished and prominent names to this series. We are immensely proud and privileged to be working with Minnie, Goran and James."

When will it air?

The drama is currently filming at BBC Scotland's Dumbarton Studios in Glasgow for transmission in 2010.