The Castaways (British TV series)
A missing sister leads to a remote Pacific island investigation.
The Castaways is a Paramount+ television adaptation of Lucy Clarke’s novel. Sheridan Smith and Céline Buckens play sisters. The plot follows Erin, who travels to a remote Pacific island after her sister Lori’s credit card is used there, following Lori’s disappearance abroad.
The cast includes Brendan Cowell, Dominic Tighe, Lasarus Ratuere, Charlotte Vega, Celeste Dodwell, and Joseph Mydell. Clapperboard Studios and Blackbox Multimedia produced the series. Executive producers are Mike Benson, Ben Harris, Giuliano Papadia, and Chiara Cardoso; Harris also adapted the book as lead writer. Additional writers are Polly Buckle and Jesse O’Mahoney. Myf Hopkins served as series producer. Andy Tohill and Ryan Tohill directed episodes.
Filming took place in Fiji and Greece, starting in June 2023. The series premiered on Paramount+ in the United Kingdom on 26 December 2023, with all episodes released at once. It later aired on free-to-air Channel 5 in the UK nightly from 26 to 30 January 2025, and was available on My5 for one month afterward.
The Guardian called it “a darkly plotted and sunnily staged piece of escapism,” while Digital Spy noted that “you’ll have a right rollicking good time while you’re in the thick of it.”
- Genre
- Drama thriller
- Based on
- The Castaways by Lucy Clarke
- Starring
- Sheridan Smith, Céline Buckens
- Executive producers
- Mike Benson, Ben Harris, Giuliano Papadia, Chiara Cardoso
- Production companies
- Clapperboard Studios, Blackbox Multimedia
- Original network
- Paramount+ (UK)
- First aired
- 26 December 2023
Quick Facts
- Creator
- Ben Harris
- Based On
- The Castaways by Lucy Clarke
- Writer
- Ben Harris / Polly Buckle / Jesse O’Mahoney
- Director
- Andy Tohill / Ryan Tohill
- Starring
- Sheridan Smith / Céline Buckens
- Language
- English
- Num Series
- 1
- Num Episodes
- 5
- Executive Producer
- Mike Benson / Ben Harris / Giuliano Papadia / Chiara Cardoso
- Producer
- Myf Hopkins
- Editor
- Barry Moen / John Phillipson
- Cinematography
- Tom Pridham
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Castaways is a television series made for Paramount+ adapted from the book of the same name by Lucy Clarke. The series stars Sheridan Smith and Céline Buckens as sisters. After her sister Lori goes missing whilst travelling abroad, Erin travels to Fiji to investigate the use of her missing sister's credit card on a remote Pacific island.
Reader's Guide
The series was produced by Clapperboard Studios and Blackbox Multimedia, with executive producers including Mike Benson, Ben Harris, Giuliano Papadia and Chiara Cardoso. Ben Harris adapted the book as lead writer, with other writers including Polly Buckle and Jesse O’Mahoney. Myf Hopkins served as the series producer. Andy Tohill and Ryan Tohill directed episodes. Filming took place in Fiji and Greece, beginning in June 2023. The series aired on subscription channel Paramount+ in the United Kingdom on 26 December 2023, with all episodes made available immediately. It was later broadcast in the UK on free-to-air terrestrial television Channel 5 nightly between 26 and 30 January 2025, and made available to stream on My5 for one month afterwards. The Guardian described the series as 'A darkly plotted and sunnily staged piece of escapism,' and Digital Spy said that 'you'll have a right rollicking good time while you're in the thick of it.'
Did You Know?
- The series is adapted from a book by Lucy Clarke.
- Filming began in June 2023 and took place in Fiji and Greece.
- All episodes were made available immediately on Paramount+ on 26 December 2023.
- The series was broadcast on Channel 5 nightly from 26 to 30 January 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Castaways (British TV series)?
It is a drama thriller series on Paramount+ UK, adapted from Lucy Clarke's novel of the same name. The story follows a woman who journeys to a remote Pacific island to investigate her sister's unexplained disappearance.
Who plays the two sisters in The Castaways?
Sheridan Smith portrays Erin, the sister who travels to the island to find her missing sibling, while Céline Buckens plays Lori, the sister who vanished abroad.
What is the central mystery in The Castaways?
After Lori disappears overseas, Erin discovers her credit card has been used on a remote Pacific island and sets out to uncover what really happened to her. The investigation unfolds as a tense, isolated thriller set against the island's backdrop.
Who wrote and produced The Castaways?
Ben Harris adapted Lucy Clarke's novel and served as lead writer for the series. It was produced by Clapperboard Studios and Blackbox Multimedia, with Mike Benson, Ben Harris, Giuliano Papadia, and Chiara Cardoso credited as executive producers.
Where can I stream The Castaways?
The series is available on Paramount+ in the UK, which is its original streaming home. It is a limited drama thriller that pairs a personal family mystery with a remote-island setting.
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