Trigger Point is a British crime thriller television series starring Vicky McClure as a police bomb disposal expert in London. It was created and written by Daniel Brierley, and first broadcast on 23 January 2022 on ITV.
A second series began broadcasting on 28 January 2024, and a third was released on ITVX on 26 October 2025. A fourth series is due to be released in 2026.
Plot
Lana Washington is an ex-military bomb disposal operative (known as an 'Expo') and Afghan War veteran who heads a Metropolitan Police bomb squad, using her skills to counterterrorist threats involving explosives.
Executive producer Jed Mercurio developed the series with Brierly during a television bursary scheme, where he also served as his mentor. Brierly, who was relatively new to television outside of some development deals and a trial script on Red Rock, had previously written short films and plays, as well as commercials.[2] The series was filmed in London.[3]
In the middle of a summer heatwave, Explosives Officers ("EXPO") Lana Washington and Joel Nutkins are called out to a Metropolitan Police counterterrorism operation at a London housing estate to investigate a potential bomb factory. There is no sign of the bomb maker but with evidence of an even deadlier terrorist threat, Lana and Joel must work against the clock to save as many lives as possible. The first bomb is revealed to be simple fireworks in the toilet of a flat. The second is found on Andy Phelan in the boot of his car. Lana and Joel manage to disarm this bomb manually. Joel assists in investigating a suspicious parked van, which detonates, hiding a third bomb; Joel and several bystanders are killed.
2
"Episode 2"
Gilles Bannier
Daniel Brierley
30January2022(2022-01-30)
7.71
Four days after the bombing at the housing estate, Lana and Danny respond to a suspected bomb on a bus, which turns out to be a false alarm. Following Joel's funeral, Lana and her colleagues drink away their sorrows. New reports of a bombing points the police to an abandoned factory, which they discover is used as a bomb factory. Lana suspects some wires to have been planted, while Youngblood advises her to tread carefully. Far right extremists take to the street and blame Islamists for the bombing. This later proves unfounded as a bomb is discovered at a mosque. The countdown is already at five minutes when Lana goes in to defuse it. She also discovers someone behind the door the bomb is attached to. With three minutes left on the timer, Youngblood rushes in and orders her to leave the mosque. She faces the dilemma of saving the man behind the door or leaving immediately.
3
"Episode 3"
Gilles Bannier
Daniel Brierley
6February2022(2022-02-06)
6.95
With seconds left on the bomb's timer, Lana desperately attempts to unlock the door. Danny rushes in when it hits 20 seconds and convinces her to get out before it detonates, killing the captured man. Lana shares her experience with her friend, Karl. She also has an outburst at one of her colleagues, John Hudson, blaming him for not getting backup. The police investigate a cryptic message left by a right-wing splinter group, The Crusaders, which claims responsibility for the mosque bombing. Lana and Sonya discover that the bomb material is highly classified, and the former asks Youngblood to look into it. Another bomb is discovered outside an LGBT bar, The Five Oaks. With smoke grenades as a distraction against a sniper, Lana and Danny manage to disarm the bomb. Armed police storm the block of flats where the sniper was located, but only manage to kill the bomber, Nic Roberts. An officer is killed by a second suspect, having just discovered a police vest. Lana suspects that the second suspect is an insider, and even floats the possibility of a third suspect, a bomb maker. She breaks into Hudson's locker, and discovers a map book marked with the locations of the bombings.
4
"Episode 4"
Jennie Darnell
Daniel Brierley
13February2022(2022-02-13)
7.42
The police discover the burned out remains of the Prius that the bomber stole. Lana presents the evidence from Hudson's locker to Youngblood, who promises to look into it. Her brother Billy misses a meeting with the police, and she starts looking for him. She and her parents discover his flat is empty. Lana takes her suspicions against John to the next level when she directly accuses him at New Scotland Yard, leading to DSU Marianne Hamilton asking her to take leave. Shortly afterwards, she is brought back in again after Commander Bregman informs her that her brother has ties with The Crusaders and Roberts. Billy discovers a bomb in his glovebox when Lana contacts him. She directs him away from an Underground station and into Cranstead Fields. Reinforcements arrive, and Lana attempts to defuse the bomb. With the timer activated, Billy starts to panic when it counts down from 30 seconds. Despite Lana's warnings, he opens the door, leading to the bomb detonating and killing him.
5
"Episode 5"
Jennie Darnell
Daniel Brierley
20February2022(2022-02-20)
7.61
Lana spends time grieving Billy's death, and tries to drink away her sorrows and eventually decides to start therapy on the advice of Hamilton. She also tackles a conflicting statement with Youngblood regarding whom she was with just before being called by the police. Another bomb is discovered at the University of South London, which is hosting a debate for a by-election. Lana goes in with Hudson to disarm the bomb. In the meantime, armed police spot the bomber, Frank Welsh, with two phones to detonate the bomb. They're authorised to shoot him. As Hudson leaves, he detonates the bomb via his phone, and escapes. Evidence from his home leads them to another bomb at a "progressive alliance" office, with a bomb located in a nearby car. Lana discovers gas triggers at the office, planted there and in the surrounding houses.
6
"Episode 6"
Jennie Darnell
Daniel Brierley
27February2022(2022-02-27)
8.24
The bomb is defused. Hamilton takes Lana in as an adviser for the investigation, just as Hudson makes contact via text message, sending her the numbers 661142. They discover the location from which the text message was sent matches the location of an MOD black site that stores explosives of the same kind used in the prior attacks. The police secure Deptford Town Hall after deducing that the attacks targeted the campaign in the by-election. Hudson's unconscious body is discovered in St Jude's chapel. As the Labour candidate is declared the by-election winner, Lana's friend Karl Maguire takes the stage and reveals that he has a bomb. He reveals his intentions as revenge for the coverup of an ambush in Afghanistan back in 2009. The Labour candidate, Aleysha Campbell-Khan, was the chair of the Defence Select Committee at the time; Maguire blames her for the coverup. Lana manages to talk to Maguire as SCO19 find positions. One of them manages to get a shot on Maguire, killing him. Hudson reawakens, his motive for marking the bombing locations revealed to be to become a senior like Lana. Her team is called into preliminary hearings after the incident.
Yet to return to active duty after the traumatic deaths of her brother Billy and colleague Nut, Lana is making a routine presentation when an explosion rocks a nearby power station. She is swiftly called into action by Hass, her replacement as Senior Expo, and finds both that the explosion was no accident and that much has changed in her absence.
2
"Episode 2"
Jon East
Simon Ashdown & Daniel Brierley
4February2024(2024-02-04)
6.55
A lone male is spotted running from a high-rise building in Docklands and immediately suspected of involvement in the drone attack on the power station. A chase ensues and the man is caught thanks to Thom, but the team soon realise that he couldn't have carried out such a sophisticated and skilled attack alone and the investigation leads to a horrifying denouement for Lana.
3
"Episode 3"
Audrey Cooke
Simon Ashdown
11February2024(2024-02-11)
6.66
The terror campaign continues when a journalist is sent a suspicious package, suggesting a new bomb set to explode that evening. The gang appears to be taunting the authorities, but a source then emerges from the shadows with what appears to be solid intelligence on the terror cell. With little else to go on, can mysterious informant Alex really be trusted?
4
"Episode 4"
Jon East
Amanda Duke
18February2024(2024-02-18)
6.91
Alex contacts the police with critical information about a new attack planned for that day, but Commander Francis warns the team against placing too much trust in him - when the attack does come, it's shocking in its ingenuity and deadly intent. When Alex calls again with more intelligence, the team must split resources to work out if an unscrupulous financier could be targeted next.
5
"Episode 5"
Audrey Cooke
Amanda Duke
25February2024(2024-02-25)
7.38
Having been approached by a desperate Alex and knowing that he has nobody else to turn to, Lana makes the instinctive decision to trust and protect him. Her intuition gives the team the upper hand and produces new leads, but her breach of protocol brings tensions with Francis to breaking point. Meanwhile, the team catches a break when one of the terrorists is spotted by an off-duty policeman.
6
"Episode 6"
Audrey Cooke
Chris Brandon & Amanda Duke
3March2024(2024-03-03)
7.27
Lana learns to her horror that the terrorists intend her to be the key component of their next attack, which will be on the very upper echelons of the UK law and order system. She is faced with a choice between her fundamental duty as an officer to preserve life or to save the lives of those who matter the most to her. Unable to tell anyone of her predicament, it is her biggest challenge yet.
Series 3 (2025)
No.
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original release date
UK viewers (millions)
1
"Episode 1"
Jamie Donoughue & Audrey Cooke
Chris Brandon, Fflur Daydd & Harlan Davies
26October2025(2025-10-26)
TBD
Explosives officer Lana Washington and her team are called to investigate a suspected bomb in a black cab that has been abandoned on waste ground, but they soon realise they're at the site of something far more sinister. Working alongside their colleagues in counter-terrorism, the team races to find out what the person behind this unique bombing campaign wants, who they are and who they might be targeting next.
2
"Episode 2"
Jamie Donoughue & Audrey Cooke
Chris Brandon, Fflur Daydd & Harlan Davies
26October2025(2025-10-26)
TBD
With two incidents appearing to be connected, counter-terrorism police work to establish a link between the two victims - a retiree and a university lecturer. As the investigation continues, Lana and the team grow suspicious that they aren't being told the whole truth, and an intervention from DS Helen Morgan backfires, leaving the unit at a loss.
3
"Episode 3"
Jamie Donoughue & Audrey Cooke
Chris Brandon, Fflur Daydd & Harlan Davies
26October2025(2025-10-26)
TBD
With the help of Lana, Counter Terrorism Command learn more about the recent murders. But their progress doesn't go unnoticed by the bomber, whose campaign only intensifies, putting more people in grave danger.
4
"Episode 4"
Jamie Donoughue & Audrey Cooke
Chris Brandon, Fflur Daydd & Harlan Davies
26October2025(2025-10-26)
TBD
All hope looks lost for the remaining missing person, until a new lead emerges. With Lana now known to the bomber, she has to work harder than ever to avoid falling into his traps, pushing her to breaking point.
5
"Episode 5"
Jamie Donoughue & Audrey Cooke
Chris Brandon, Fflur Daydd & Harlan Davies
26October2025(2025-10-26)
TBD
The bomber's next target proves symbolic of their entire terror campaign, and Lana, rushing against the clock, must find the device among a great deal of pandemonium. Her search manages to peel backs payers of the enemy's secrecy and throws the two of them into new territory for which neither is prepared.
6
"Episode 6"
Jamie Donoughue & Audrey Cooke
Chris Brandon, Fflur Daydd & Harlan Davies
26October2025(2025-10-26)
TBD
After the last attack, and with breakthrough evidence, the counter-terrorism police are close to finding the bomber. Lana faces a reckoning when she uncovers the truth behind the campaign, as the confession she fought for so desperately finally comes.
Reception
Lucy Mangan for The Guardian gave the first episode three out of five, remarking, "It's great fun as long as you set your preposterousness levels to 'high'. Go in thinking CSI: Peckham or Line of Bomb Duty or Bomby McBombface, rather than The Wire But with Actual Wires or Breaking Explosively Badly and you'll enjoy yourself a lot more."[5] Ed Cumming of The Independent also gave it three out five, praising the tension but finding the dialogue and storytelling melodramatic.[6]
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