Virdee is a brand new crime thriller about to land on BBC One, filling the Silent Witness-shaped hole at 9pm - but what's the plot, who's in the cast, and when's the start date?

The new series is based on the AA Dhand novels of the same name, with the rather un-ugly actor Staz Nair leading the cast as DI Harry Virdee.

So what is the new TV series about, who's in the cast, and what else can we expect from the series? Here's everything you need to know...

What is Virdee on BBC One about? What's the plot?

Virdee follows a Bradford detective who must hunt down a killer targeting the Asian community - while dealing with his own chaotic personal life.

Detective Harry Virdee is a dedicated cop estranged from his Sikh family after marrying Muslim woman Saima. A turf war is brewing, with the police losing their grip on gang rivalries, as they spill out onto the streets of Bradford.

A synopsis tells us: "When a young dealer is murdered, Harry's duty to uphold the law clashes with his links to members of the crime gangs. With his personal life in chaos, he must hunt down whoever is targeting those around him."

Whilst the killer holds the entire city to ransom, Harry needs the help of his brother-in-law Riaz, a drugs kingpin who runs the largest cartel in the county. Pulled together in an alliance that could ruin them both, Harry must make a choice: save himself and his family or save his city.

Is Virdee based on a book?

The BBC drama Virdee is based on AA Dhand's bestselling novels, specifically in this case the book City of Sinners. The author adapted the six-part series for the screen.

Virdee, a detective of Indian heritage, has so far featured in four novels, starting with Streets of Darkness. It was first published in 2016. The fifth in the series, The Chemist, is due in May 2025.

AA Dhand says: "I'm thrilled to bring Virdee to screen. It has been an honour and a privilege to write and produce this series set in my home town of Bradford. I have always believed that the city is perfect for an elevated TV series, one which showcases its history, grandeur and diversity and I feel that we have created something very special and unique."

He added: "I have put my heart and soul into making this show and hope that this is the start of a very fruitful year for Bradford, especially with it being the 2025 UK City of Culture."

Who plays DI Harry Virdee in the cast?

London-born actor and singer Staz Nair portrays the lead character of Detective Inspector Harry Virdee in the new drama.

The 33-year-old is probably best known for playing Qhono in Game of Thrones. Fans of the fantasy drama will know that Qhono was a Dothraki warrior and lieutenant in the Targaryen army.

After the death of Khal Moro, he became the de facto leader of the Dothraki loyal to Daenerys Targaryen, until his death at the Battle of Winterfell.

Staz went on to portray William Dey in the superhero TV series Supergirl between 2019 and 2022. Other notable roles include Gordon in Humans, and Tarak in Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire, and Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver.

Meanwhile, Criminal Record actress Aysha Kala portrays Harry's wife Saima Virdee, and Pandora's Vikash Bhai stars as brother-in-law Riaz

Ridley actor Danyal Ismail portrays DC Kalil Amin, This Life's Ramon Tikaram plays Jai Pawa, and Still Open All Hours' Kulvinder Ghir stars as Ranjit Virdee. The brilliant Elizabeth Berrington also appears as DS Clare Conway. She's best known for her roles in Waterloo Road, and Stella.

How can I watch Virdee? When's the start date?

Virdee starts on BBC One and iPlayer on Monday, February 10, 2025 at 9pm. The series will air every Monday for six weeks.

All episodes will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Where is it filmed?

Virdee is set and filmed in Bradford. The city of Bradford is at the heart of both AA Dhand's novels and the new series.

Katrina Bunker, Head of the BBC in Yorkshire, says: "We're really proud to have another big BBC drama that has been made in Yorkshire. Virdee is an exciting, ambitious and thrilling story – and the timing of the release couldn't be better with this being such a big year in the spotlight for Bradford."

She added: "It's especially brilliant that so many of the team who worked on the drama were recruited from local communities - great opportunities for local talent and also helping ensure that our content is genuinely authentic and representative."

What's the music in Virdee?

Multi award-winning composer Hans Zimmer (Interstellar, The Dark Knight) composed the Virdee title theme with James Everingham for Bleeding Fingers.

It also featured Shashwat Sachdev.

How many episodes it is?

Virdee is six episodes of one hour each. Episode one sees Harry Virdee become obsessed by the search for a missing teenager who was caught up in a county lines drug gang.

Following an emotional appeal from the boy's mother, he becomes tempted to cross a dangerous line...

Virdee starts on BBC One at 9pm on Monday, February 10, 2025.