Gugu Mbatha-Raw leads BBC’s new sci-fi thriller Sutherland set in Scotland and space

The BBC has announced Sutherland, a new six-part sci-fi thriller that blends space exploration with a mystery unfolding in the Scottish Highlands.

Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Stuart Martin and Iain De Caestecker, the series is set in the near future and centres on a high-stakes mission launching from a space hub in the far north of Scotland. Mbatha-Raw plays Mirren, a flight director overseeing the UK’s first crewed mission into deep space – until a series of unexplained events back on Earth threatens to derail everything.

As tensions rise, a long-buried conspiracy begins to surface, drawing local detective Logan (Martin) back into Mirren’s world. The two are forced to work together as their separate paths collide, uncovering secrets that could change both their lives.

Created by All Her Fault writer James Smythe, the series mixes big sci-fi ideas with a more grounded emotional core. Smythe describes it as “a love story, a story of loss, a story of discovery”, exploring both the pull of space and the mysteries closer to home.

Produced by Vigil makers World Productions, Sutherland continues the BBC’s run of ambitious dramas from Scotland, combining a striking setting with a genre-driven premise.

Filming is set to begin in Scotland later this year, with the series due to air on BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland.

The editorial unit
Image: Courtesy of the BBC

Sutherland does not have a release date yet.