The Trial is set in Britain in 2035, depicting a time where parents are held legally accountable for their children’s crimes. It stars Outnumbered’s Claire Skinner and Andor’s Ben Miles as a couple who are thrust into a hellish court case when their teenage daughter commits a serious offence. And given that parents are now regarded as being directly responsible for their children’s behaviour, if they lose, they will both face life behind bars.
Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica Jackson plays their relentless interrogator Sarah Willis, who rakes through every aspect of their life and parenting in order to prove their culpability.
Here’s everything you need to know about the hard-hitting 5 drama The Trial…
The Trial release date
The Trial is a one-off, 60-minute drama that will be shown on 5 (formerly Channel 5) on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 9pm and also be available on 5’s streaming service.
Is there a trailer?
Not yet but if one is released, we’ll add it to this page.
The Trial plot
The Trial is set in 2035, so it imagines the political and cultural climate in 10 years.
When their teenage daughter Teah (India Fowler) commits a serious crime, her parents Dione and David Sinclair (Claire Skinner and Ben Miles) are arrested and thrown into the clutches of the Ministry of Justice’s new branch, the Office of Judicial Inquisition.
They are charged with violating a controversial new statute called Milligan’s Law, which holds parents legally responsible for the actions of their children. The couple have no legal counsel, no jury, and no room for error as they face a judicial inquisitor (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) who unpicks every flaw in their parenting, with no details from their past off-limits.
If they are found guilty, both will face a life sentence for a crime they didn’t commit but are deemed responsible for.
The Trial cast — Claire Skinner is Dione Sinclair
In The Trial, Claire Skinner plays accused mother Dione SInclair. Claire is best known for her role as Sue Brockman in the hit BBC1 comedy series Outnumbered.
She recently starred in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and was in the previous Bridget Jones films. Claire has also starred in McDonald & Dodds, Inside No. 9, Life Begins, Vanity Fair, Hilda and Coma.
Ben Miles plays David Sinclair
Ben Miles plays Dione’s husband David SInclair, who is also accused of the crime.
Ben plays Tay Kolma in the Disney Plus Star Wars prequel series Andor and was Princess Maragaret's lover Peter Townsend in The Crown. He starred in the BBC1 drama The Capture and has also been in Black Doves, Douglas is Cancelled, Hijack, The Trial of Christine Keeler, Cold Feet, Lark Rise to Candleford and Devils.
Who else is starring in The Trial?
The Trial also stars Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls, The Doll Factory) who plays interrogator Sarah Willis, and India Fowler (The Agency, Insomnia) is playing troubled teen, Teah Sinclair. Jaz Hutchins (Canary Black, The Return) is Lieutenant Simons
Behind the scenes and more on The Trial
The Trial is produced by Richelle Wilder and Isibéal Ballance for Adorable Media (The Amazing Mr Blunden, Woman of Stone), directed by Michael Samuels (Coma, Close to Me) and written by Mark Burt (London’s Burning, Coronation Street).
Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama at 5, says: “This marks an exciting new direction in our drama slate, embracing one-off, high-impact storytelling that sparks conversation. We’re excited to work with Adorable Media who have put together an exceptional team to tell this fascinating story.”
Richelle Wilder, Producer at Adorable Media, adds: "This is our first time working with 5, whose extraordinary support allowed Adorable Media to produce a highly original, thought provoking and emotional drama."
