Exclusive – Before We Die first-look images show Lesley Sharp as senior police detective Hannah Laing

Sharp, whose credits include Scott & Bailey and Afterlife, plays senior police detective DI Hannah Laing in the six-part series, which is based on a Swedish show of the same name.

Before We Die follows Laing as she is forced to make a terrible decision when her son goes off the rails and is implicated in an investigation into the brutal murder of one of her colleagues.

The first image (above) shows a contemplative Hannah staring out the window, while a second (below) sees her conversing with her son Christian, who is played by The OA's Patrick Gibson.

And in a third image (below), we are introduced to the Mimicas, a tight-knit family from Croatia who recently moved to Bristol and now run a successful restaurant, where Christian works.

It is through his connections to this family that Christian gets tied up in criminal activities, with the ruthless eldest son Davor (Toni Gojanović) ambitiously leading the Mimica clan's shady expansion efforts.

The series, which airs next month, also stars Vincent Regan (Troy, 300, Wallander) as Billy Murdoch, a non-conformist and rather shadowy investigator, who is seconded to Hannah’s unit to advise on Eastern European drug gangs.

When it was first announced back in September 2020, Channel 4's Head of Drama Caroline Hollick said of the series, “Every episode of Before We Die is a rollercoaster of excitement – and I’m so delighted to have Lesley Sharp bring her trademark gravitas and charisma to Channel 4. It’s a privilege to be part of this truly inspiring European collaboration.”

Before We Die will debut on Channel 4 in May 2021. If you’re looking for more to watch, take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage, or check out our TV Guide.