Dennis Kelly’s Waiting for the Out brings philosophical tension to BBC One – first trailer released

The BBC has unveiled the first trailer for Waiting for the Out, a new six-part drama from Utopia and Matilda the Musical writer Dennis Kelly. Adapted from Andy West’s acclaimed memoir The Life Inside, the series is set to premiere on 3^rd January 2026, with all episodes available from 6am on BBC iPlayer and the first airing on BBC One at 9.30pm that evening.

Set in and around a prison, the series follows Dan (BAFTA nominee Josh Finan, The Responder), a quiet philosopher who takes on the job of teaching inmates. What begins as a classroom discussion on themes like freedom, dominance and luck soon spirals into something more personal. As the prisoners open up, so too does Dan’s past – one marked by a complicated family history and buried guilt. With his father, brother and uncle all having spent time inside, Dan finds himself increasingly consumed by the idea that he may be destined to end up there too.

Filmed in Liverpool and produced by SISTER (This Is Going to Hurt, Chernobyl), the drama promises a raw and thoughtful exploration of guilt, identity and the fragile boundaries between teacher and student. The supporting cast includes Gerard Kearns, Phil Daniels, Stephen Wight, Samantha Spiro, Alex Ferns and Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, along with a strong ensemble of rising and established talent playing the men in Dan’s class.

Kelly leads the writing team, joined by Levi David Addai (Damilola, Our Loved Boy) and Ric Renton. Directors Jeanette Nordahl (The Responder) and Ben Palmer (Douglas Is Cancelled) are behind the camera, with executive producers from SISTER and the BBC, and global distribution handled by BBC Studios.

With its weighty themes and character-driven storytelling, Waiting for the Out looks set to offer something a little different for the new year schedule  – thoughtful, tense, and full of emotional depth.

The editorial unit

Waiting for the Out is released on BBC iPlayer on 3^rd January 2026.

Watch the trailer for Waiting for the Out here: