Greg Davies Returns for Festive The Cleaner Special Set in the Italian Dolomites

Image: BBC

By Jon Donnis

Greg Davies is back as UK crime scene cleaner Paul ‘Wicky’ Wickstead in The Cleaner In Italy (w/t), a brand new one-off special of the BBC comedy series, which will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One over the festive period.

Written by and starring Davies (Taskmaster, The Inbetweeners) and produced by SHUK, The Cleaner follows Wicky, a state-certified cleaning technician whose unusual day job involves scrubbing away the grisliest remnants of crime scenes.

The show's first ever hour-long special, which began filming this week, sees Wicky reluctantly join his girlfriend Ruth (Zita Sattar) and her friends Andrew and Andrea (Robert Webb and Tori Allen-Martin) on a hiking holiday in the Italian Dolomites.

When an accident occurs, Wicky is forced to spend the rest of the trip at a remote mountain hotel while Ruth heads off to enjoy the great outdoors. Surrounded by an eccentric hotel manager (Peter Serafinowicz), an array of peculiar guests and a cast of increasingly suspicious staff, Wicky’s boredom soon turns to paranoia.

Additional cast joining the special include Robert Webb (Peep Show, That Mitchell and Webb Look), Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, Amandaland), Kevin Eldon (Hot Fuzz, Four Lions), Tori Allen-Martin (Here We Go), Veronica Ferres (Call My Agent Berlin), Zita Sattar (Holby City), Milanka Brooks (Black Mirror) and Dylan Blore (Shetland).

Series one of The Cleaner launched to 5.4 million viewers, making it the second biggest new BBC Comedy series in 2021. All three series of The Cleaner were in the top five most viewed scripted comedies in the UK across the market in their respective years of 2021, 2023 and 2024.

All three series of The Cleaner are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

Greg Davies, writer and star of The Cleaner In Italy, says: “I think Wicky has got to the stage in life where he only likes three things: his job, going to the pub and beer. To get the opportunity to force him to go to Italy on a hiking holiday is the perfect opportunity to test his breaking point. I can’t wait to show everyone how horribly wrong a holiday can go…”

The Bombing of Pan Am 103: BBC Unveils Trailer and Release Date for Factual Drama

Image: BBC Press

By Jon Donnis

The BBC has announced the release date, first trailer, and artwork for The Bombing of Pan Am 103, a six-part factual drama from World Productions (Line of Duty, Anne). Written by Jonathan Lee, the series will premiere on Sunday 18 May on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, airing new episodes every Sunday and Monday at 9pm for three weeks. A global Netflix release will follow at a later date.

The series recounts the events of 21 December 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103, travelling from Heathrow to JFK, was destroyed by a bomb over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. The attack killed 270 people, including 190 Americans and 43 British citizens, making it the deadliest act of terrorism ever carried out on British soil.

Focusing on the joint Scottish-American investigation, the drama follows the painstaking search for evidence that stretched from Scotland to Malta and led to a landmark trial at Camp Zeist in 2000. It also explores the personal impact on investigators, the Lockerbie community, and the families of the victims, many of whom became key voices in the fight for justice. The story builds up to a new US trial, shedding light on the ongoing legal battles.

The cast includes Connor Swindells (SAS Rogue Heroes), Patrick J. Adams (Suits), Merritt Wever (Severance), Peter Mullan (Ozark), Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), and Kevin McKidd (Grey's Anatomy). Other cast members include Douglas Hodge, Lauren Lyle, Andrew Rothney, Phyllis Logan, and James Harkness.

The trailer also offers a first glimpse of the original soundtrack, composed by Scottish band Mogwai.

Alongside Jonathan Lee, Scottish writer Gillian Roger Park has penned two episodes. The series is produced by World Productions in association with MGM Television and Night Train Media, with filming taking place in Scotland, Malta, and Toronto. Michael Keillor (Roadkill, Best Interests) directs, with Julia Stannard (Anne, United) producing.

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 will debut on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday 18 May, with a Netflix release to follow.