Sheridan Smith is back on our screens as a distraught mum fighting for justice in new ITV drama No Return.
The drama follows the story of Kathy and Martin, whose idyllic beach holiday to Turkey with son Noah and daughter Jessica goes horrifically wrong when a party goes awry.
With Noah arrested and thrown in a prison cell with no means of communication, Kathy and Martin find themselves fighting a legal system they don't understand in a bid to free their son and get justice for what happened.
The process proves a horrendous ordeal as bills start piling up and their quest for answers sees nothing but stone walls.
So is this tale based on elements of truth?
Here's where the inspiration for the story came from, and how real-life experiences have been incorporated into the harrowing drama.
Is No Return a true story?
While No Return is not strictly based on a specific true story, the plot was inspired by the recollections of a friend of series creator Danny Brocklehurst.
"Everything should be a passion project because you've got a passion for what you're doing," he said ahead of the show's release. "But inevitably in any creative work some things are a little bit closer to your heart than others.
"This originated from a friend of mine who had been tangentially involved in something of a similar nature where a relative of theirs had been caught up in a foreign legal system.
"He told me about the details of this event on a walk we were on one day. I just listened to it as a story that had happened to somebody."
After hearing of the experience, an idea sparked with Danny that would later evolve into what's become No Return.
He explained: "The story obviously stayed with me and percolated because quite a long time later I suddenly thought, 'I've got two sons, we go on package holidays from time to time, this strikes me as a really good idea for a drama.' That you could go on a holiday with your kids and an accusation could be levelled at your child and they could get caught up in a system you don't understand and is incredibly difficult to get out of.
"I see those ordinary mums and dads every day when I do the school run and I often think to myself about how would something I'm writing resonate with these people who are ordinary, everyday people. I think more than a lot of my shows, No Return has that resonance.
"It will have that connection. Because it's just such an ordinary situation. We all go on holiday, be it to Scotland, Spain or Turkey. And the idea of that holiday turning into a nightmare and being caught up in a system you don’t understand is very tangible in people's minds."
No Return launches Monday, February 7 at 9pm on ITV. After the first episode airs, all four episodes will be available immediately as a box set on ITV Hub and Britbox.
For those who would prefer the slow burn, the episodes will air weekly every Monday at the same time.
Freelance writer, Digital Spy
Tilly is Gold-Standard NCTJ accredited journalist with eight years of experience in entertainment journalism.
She has been heard giving her insight on the latest TV stories on BBC Radio across the country and on BBC News.
Previously working with The Sun Online, Yahoo, Metro.co.uk and Independent IE amongst others, she joined the Digital Spy team from 2021-2023 as Deputy TV Editor (Maternity cover).
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