ITV’s latest crime drama Protection has already got fans hailing it as the network’s answer to Line of Duty.
Filmed across Liverpool, Ainsdale, Birkenhead, and Runcorn, the six-part thriller immerses viewers in the high-stakes world of witness protection, blending gritty Northern realism with intense police drama.
At the heart of the series is Happy Valley’s Siobhan Finneran, who delivers a powerhouse performance as DI Liz Nyles. As an officer for the UK Protected Persons Service, Liz must navigate the dangerous task of safeguarding reformed gangster-turned-informant Jimmy McLennan and his family. But when Jimmy and his wife are brutally murdered in what was meant to be a secure safe house, Liz is forced to confront corruption, betrayal, and the consequences of her own tangled personal life—including a risky affair with married DS Paul Brandice (Barry Ward).
With its complex characters, shocking twists, and hints of police corruption, Protection has naturally drawn comparisons to BBC’s Line of Duty, with many viewers praising its gripping storyline.
“Fully recommend Protection on ITV. Already chewed through four episodes,” wrote @EarlsJohn, while @PGUK78 raved: “#Protection is possibly ITV’s best crime drama in years!”
However, not all reactions have been positive, with some branding it a lesser imitation of the BBC hit. “Everyone involved in Protection owes Jed Mercurio a few quid. A Poundland Line of Duty with a waste of fine acting talent,” tweeted @Planet_Belfast. Others critiqued the pacing, with @Gregom10 noting: “Too much is happening in too short a time. Siobhan Finneran is a great actor, but viewers barely have time to absorb all the twists.”
Despite the mixed reviews, Finneran’s performance has been widely praised, and with its Northern setting and a script from White House Farm creator Kris Mrksa, Protection is carving out its own place in the crime drama landscape.
WHERE WAS PROTECTION FILMED?
Protection was primarily filmed across the North West, with production taking place between July and September 2023. Liverpool Film Office confirmed that Liverpool and its surrounding areas served as the main filming hubs for the series, with additional locations scattered across Birkenhead, Runcorn, Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton, and Halton.
Key filming spots included iconic locations like Runcorn Shopping City, Formby Point Caravan Park, Wavertree Police Station, and Arrowe Park Hospital, along with Liverpool Hope University and Princes Docks. The production also captured the beauty of nature in Delamere Forest and utilized various urban settings in Liverpool’s neighborhoods such as Edge Hill, Childwall, and Cressington.
Here’s a list of some of the prominent filming locations featured in the series:
- Olive Mount Community Centre, Edgewell Drive, Liverpool
- Score Lane, Childwall, Liverpool
- Western Drive, Cressington, Liverpool
- Runcorn Shopping City, Southway, Runcorn
- Formby Point Caravan Park, Lifeboat Road, Formby
- Wavertree Police Station, Wavertree Road, Liverpool
- Windermere Crescent, Ainsdale, Southport
- Liverpool Hope University, Hope Park, Liverpool
- Princes Docks, Princes Parade, Liverpool
- Bridgewater Foundry, Victoria Road, Runcorn
- Kinglake Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool
- Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral
- Delamere Forest, Cheshire
- All Saints Church, Childwall, Liverpool
- Smalley Avenue, Woolton, Liverpool
The highly anticipated series premiered on Sunday, March 16, at 9pm on ITV and ITVX, with all six episodes available for streaming on ITVX the same day. The second episode aired on Monday, March 17, at 9pm on ITV.
