Platform 7
Platform 7 is a British psychological thriller television miniseries adapted from the 2019 novel Platform Seven by Louise Doughty.[1] The four-part series follows Lisa Evans, a woman who died mysteriously on Platform 7 at Peterborough railway station and now exists as a ghost trapped there, as she witnesses a similar tragic event and gradually recovers memories revealing the coercive control and domestic abuse that led to her demise.[2] Premiering exclusively on the streaming service ITVX on 7 December 2023, it later aired on ITV1 starting 26 August 2024.[3] Produced by Dancing Ledge Productions for ITV, the series was written by Paula Milne and directed by Geoffrey Sax, blending supernatural elements with themes of intimate partner violence and gaslighting.[1][4] It stars Jasmine Jobson—known for her BAFTA-winning role in Top Boy—as the ethereal Lisa, alongside Toby Regbo as her manipulative ex-partner Matthew "Matty" Goodson, Yaamin Chowdhury as transport police officer Akash Lockhart, and supporting cast including Phil Davis, Reece Ritchie, and Emily Carey.[5] The adaptation explores the emotional and psychological toll of abusive relationships, echoing the novel's focus on Lisa's posthumous quest for truth amid the isolation of the station.[2]Background
Source material
Platform Seven is a psychological thriller novel written by British author Louise Doughty and published by Faber & Faber on 22 August 2019.[6] The book was praised for its haunting narrative and emotional intensity.[7] Critics acclaimed its psychological depth, particularly in examining coercive control and the human psyche, with The Guardian describing it as a "chilling tale" that blends supernatural elements with everyday realism.[8] Louise Doughty, born in 1963, has established a career writing psychological thrillers that frequently tackle social issues such as grief, identity, and power dynamics in relationships.[9] Her earlier works include Whatever You Love (2010), which was shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award and explores themes of loss and resilience.[10] Doughty's novels often draw on real-world concerns, using thriller conventions to delve into broader societal questions, as seen in her non-fiction A Novel in a Year (2007), which chronicles her writing process amid personal challenges.[11] At its core, the novel investigates trauma and memory loss through the lens of a ghostly limbo confined to a railway station, where the protagonist pieces together fragmented recollections to uncover hidden truths.[8] This structure highlights the symbolism of transit spaces as metaphors for emotional journeys, emphasizing isolation, longing, and the fragility of life without revealing specific plot details.[12] The novel's reliance on internal monologue to convey the protagonist's disoriented perspective provides a literary foundation that influences the television adaptation's shift toward visual storytelling to externalize her inner turmoil.[9]Development
ITV commissioned the four-part psychological thriller series Platform 7 on July 12, 2022, marking an early commission for its streaming service ITVX with a planned linear broadcast on ITV1 several months later.[1] The project originated from Dancing Ledge Productions, which secured the rights to adapt Louise Doughty's 2019 novel Platform Seven.[1] Screenwriter Paula Milne, known for acclaimed works such as The Politician's Husband and White Heat, led the adaptation, restructuring the novel's narrative to fit a serialized format across four hour-long episodes.[13] Milne's script preserved the story's core premise—a woman trapped as a ghost at a railway station unraveling the mysteries of her death—while enhancing its thriller elements for television pacing and visual tension.[14] In creative decisions, the production emphasized integrating supernatural phenomena with the protagonist's underlying real-world trauma, particularly themes of emotional abuse and loss leading to suicide.[15] Milne described the approach as avoiding a conventional "spooky" ghost story, instead portraying the spectral elements as a metaphor for the character's quest to comprehend the circumstances and psychological scars of her demise.[15] Pre-production advanced with a public reveal on January 26, 2023, when Dancing Ledge Productions announced the principal casting alongside further details on the series' tone and structure.[14] This milestone followed the initial commissioning and set the stage for scripting completion, with Geoffrey Sax ultimately directing all episodes to bring Milne's vision to screen.[16]Cast and characters
Principal cast
Jasmine Jobson portrays the lead role of Lisa Evans, a ghostly figure trapped at a railway station after her untimely death, grappling with amnesia that obscures the circumstances of her demise and her haunting, ethereal presence in the narrative.[14][5] Known for her BAFTA-winning performance as the resilient Jaq in Netflix's Top Boy, where she earned acclaim for portraying complex vulnerability beneath a tough exterior, Jobson brings a similar depth to Lisa, emphasizing the character's emotional fragility and search for truth.[17][18] Toby Regbo plays Matty (full name Matthew Goodson), Lisa's former boyfriend whose enigmatic and multifaceted relationship with her drives much of the story's interpersonal tension and revelations.[5] Regbo, recognized for his roles in supernatural thrillers like A Discovery of Witches and historical dramas such as Reign, delivers a performance that highlights Matty's charm intertwined with underlying control.[19] Yaamin Chowdhury stars as Akash Lockhart, a dedicated British Transport Police detective whose investigation into events at the station intersects crucially with Lisa's unresolved past.[20] Chowdhury, who has appeared in thriller series including The Lazarus Project—a time-loop conspiracy drama—and the mystery The Essex Serpent, brings authenticity to Akash's professional diligence and personal stakes.[21] Phil Davis embodies Edward Warren, another spectral inhabitant of the station whose backstory as a former employee adds layers to the supernatural elements and Lisa's journey.[5] A veteran of British thrillers such as the crime series Whitechapel and the sci-fi horror Alien 3, Davis infuses Edward with a brooding intensity reflective of his history in psychologically charged roles. The principal cast was announced in January 2023, with selections highlighting diverse representation through Jobson's Black British heritage and Chowdhury's British Asian background, aligning with ITV's commitment to inclusive storytelling.[22][14]Supporting cast
The supporting cast of Platform 7 enriches the series' portrayal of the haunted railway station, with recurring performers embodying station personnel, family members, and fellow lost souls who deepen the exploration of memory and loss. Sacha Parkinson recurs as Melissa, the no-nonsense station manager whose oversight of daily railway operations anchors the supernatural events in a realistic urban environment.[5] Reece Ritchie appears throughout as Richard Shale, a key figure from Lisa's past life as her former housemate, whose interactions reveal pivotal backstory elements tied to personal relationships and the lead-up to her death.[16] Rhiannon Clements portrays Izzy, Lisa's devoted best friend, in multiple episodes that use flashbacks to illuminate pre-death friendships and emotional vulnerabilities, contributing to the narrative's focus on unresolved human connections.[5] Mark Noble recurs as Inspector Barker, a transport police investigator whose procedural inquiries into station incidents parallel Akash's work and tie directly to the railway's investigative undercurrents.[5] Family dynamics are fleshed out by Patrick Robinson as Trevor, Lisa's grieving father, and Natasha Joseph as Evelyn, her mother, who appear in scenes depicting the ripple effects of tragedy on loved ones outside the station's confines.[5] Guest performers add layers through one-off roles in investigative sequences and flashbacks, such as Emily Carey as Ella, Edward's daughter, whose portrayal uncovers familial backstories linked to station-related events.[5] Tábata Cerezo guests as Rosaria Diaz, a station colleague involved in operational routines that highlight the everyday chaos of the railway setting.[23] These ensemble members collectively amplify the series' themes of solitude amid communal spaces, as the station serves as both a barrier to the afterlife and a hub for lingering interpersonal ties.[14]Production
Filming
Principal photography for Platform 7 primarily took place in northern England, with interior scenes for the station sets filmed at Versa Studios in Leeds.[24] Exterior shots of the station concourse and forecourt were captured at Kidderminster Station on the Severn Valley Railway, while the key scenes on the titular Platform 7 were shot at Keighley Station on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway to provide an authentic railway environment.[20][25] Additional location shooting occurred in the Leeds suburb of Chapel Allerton, including on Harrogate Road and at the Perfumed Garden florist.[26] Filming commenced in late 2022 following the project's greenlight earlier that year, extending into the winter months of 2022–2023.[27] The production faced challenges from cold winter nights spent at the outdoor railway locations, which added discomfort during extended shoots at the stations.[28] The use of heritage railways like the Severn Valley and Keighley & Worth Valley lines ensured realistic train movements and settings, though coordinating with operational steam and period-style locomotives presented logistical hurdles for scene authenticity.[29] Technical elements included practical and special effects to depict the ghostly protagonist, addressing concerns from lead actress Jasmine Jobson about integrating ethereal interactions like passing through objects.[28] Cinematography was handled by Laurent Barès, who captured the confined, tense visuals of the station environments across all four episodes.[16] Post-production followed principal photography, with editing and sound work completed throughout 2023 to meet the series' premiere schedule. Sound design, led by re-recording mixer Patrick Morris, emphasized atmospheric tension through layered audio cues of echoing platforms and subtle supernatural elements.[16] The process culminated in the December 7, 2023, release on ITVX.[30]Crew
Originally announced with Sarah Walker as director in July 2022, the direction of Platform 7 was helmed by Geoffrey Sax, a BAFTA-winning director renowned for his work on high-profile thrillers and dramas, including the pilot episode "A Study in Pink" of the BBC series Sherlock. Sax brought his extensive experience in pacing tense narratives to the production, emphasizing a realistic tone through subtle visual effects and authentic performances that underscore the protagonist's ghostly invisibility and emotional fragmentation. In interviews, he highlighted his vision of staging scenes to mirror the character's isolation, drawing from his admiration for the source material's psychological depth while ensuring the thriller elements unfolded with grounded intensity.[31][1][32][5] The production was led by producer Rosalie Carew, whose prior credits include Three Pines and Ackley Bridge, alongside executive producers Chris Carey, Laurence Bowen, and Kate Triggs from Dancing Ledge Productions and ITV Studios. Carew oversaw the adaptation's execution, ensuring fidelity to the novel's themes of trauma and revelation, while the executives provided strategic oversight for the four-part series' development and broadcast on ITVX. Dancing Ledge Productions, founded in 2016 as a multi-award-winning independent company, has a established track record with ITV on psychological thrillers such as The Responder and The Salisbury Poisonings, specializing in bold, character-driven stories that blend entertainment with visceral emotional impact.[33][27][34] The series' atmospheric score was composed by the duo Toydrum (Pablo Clements and James Griffith), BAFTA-nominated artists known for their innovative electronic soundscapes in television. Their arresting soundtrack amplified the narrative's exploration of love, loss, identity, revenge, and redemption, contributing to the thriller's haunting tone through layered, immersive compositions that heightened emotional tension without overpowering the dialogue-driven plot. Complementing this, costume designer Orla Smyth-Mill, an RTS award-winner for her work on The Long Shadow, crafted wardrobe reflecting the story's contemporary 2010s setting, using everyday attire to ground the supernatural elements in relatable realism and enhance the characters' psychological authenticity.[31][35][16][36]Broadcast and episodes
Broadcast history
Platform 7 premiered in the United Kingdom on the streaming service ITVX on 7 December 2023, with all four episodes released simultaneously for binge-viewing.[2][37] The series later received a linear television broadcast on ITV1, beginning on 26 August 2024 at 9:00 p.m., with episodes airing on consecutive nights through 29 August 2024.[2][5] Internationally, the series debuted in Australia on the streaming platform Stan on 21 March 2024, again releasing all episodes at once.[38] Distribution to other regions has been managed by Fremantle.[1] Marketing for the UK release included trailers and promotional materials launched in late 2023, aligning with the holiday season to capitalize on seasonal viewership patterns.[2]Episode guide
Platform 7 is structured as a four-part miniseries, with each untitled episode running approximately 48 minutes. The series was directed by Geoffrey Sax throughout and written by Paula Milne, adapting Louise Doughty's 2019 novel of the same name.[16] The narrative arc progresses from the initial haunting event at a railway station in Episode 1, which introduces the ghostly presence and initial investigation, to escalating memory revelations and investigative developments across the remaining episodes, culminating in a push for resolution.[31] The television adaptation condenses the novel's extended timeline into this four-episode format, employing a non-linear structure with flashbacks to reveal backstory while streamlining the protagonist's journey from passive observer to more active participant, and omitting certain supernatural elements like mind-reading for a focus on visual and relational tension.[31]| Episode | Original release date | Director | Writer | Logline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 December 2023 | Geoffrey Sax | Paula Milne | A suicide on Platform 7 draws a ghostly woman and a Transport Police officer into an initial investigation of her death.[39][40] |
| 2 | 7 December 2023 | Geoffrey Sax | Paula Milne | The pair pursues clues about the death, with the officer receiving a key lead and the woman experiencing an early memory breakthrough.[41][40] |
| 3 | 7 December 2023 | Geoffrey Sax | Paula Milne | Flashbacks explore the origins of a key relationship, shedding light on events leading to the central incident.[42][40] |
| 4 | 7 December 2023 | Geoffrey Sax | Paula Milne | The officer works urgently to compile evidence as the woman aims to safeguard another and pursue accountability.[43][40] |