The Vanishings, a gripping crime thriller, is set to air on Channel 5 this week. Originally broadcast on Virgin Media One in Ireland under the title The Vanishing Triangle, the series is based on the chilling true stories of Irish women who vanished without a trace in the late 80s and 90s. The term 'Vanishing Triangle' is used by the Irish media to refer to these cases, which share common characteristics: the women were all in their late teens to early thirties and disappeared suddenly with no clear explanation. Despite extensive searches and campaigns, no significant clues or evidence regarding their fate have ever been discovered.

The disappearances took place in an 80-mile area outside Dublin, near the boundaries of Leinster in eastern Ireland. These baffling disappearances have been the focus of numerous unsolved crime documentaries, leading to the establishment of an investigation task force by the Irish police in September 1998, dubbed Operation Trace. However, despite a €10,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of a body, no substantial leads have emerged. The series premiered on Sundance Now in the US in October 2023, aired on Virgin Media One in Ireland in March 2024, was available on Acorn TV in the UK in April last year, and debuted on Australian television in March 2024 on SBS.

Channel 5's newest offering starts on Thursday, February 6, at 9pm. The series will unravel the enigma surrounding Lisa Wallace – played by India Mullen, an investigative journalist who writes article on her mother's murder. The 32 year old Irish actress you might recognise from Red Rock and Normal People. Allen Leech tackles the role of detective David Burkely and if his face seems familiar, that's because the 43 year old Irish actor has graced our screens as Tom Branson in Downton Abbey and Paul Prenter in Bohemian Rhapsody.

Leech is husband to actress Jessica Blair Herman and father to two children. The Vanishings boasts an ensemble cast including Aaron Monaghan as Gareth Brennan and Laoise Sweeney as Susan Reynolds, along with Derbhle Crotty as Barbara Adams and Philip O'Sullivan as DCS Gill. The main lineup further includes the talents of Gráinne Good, Brian Moore, Jana Mohieden, Adam John Richardson, Stuart Dunne, and Stephen Hogan.

As for recurring characters, the show features Maura Foley, Jason Daly, Kiera Crawford, Fionnuala Murphy, Sarah Carroll, and Peter Corboy. Don't miss this six-episode series, with its opening act stretching close to two hours. The intriguing synopsis reads: "When reporter Lisa Wallace writes an article on her mother's murder, the killer resurfaces hinting at a kidnapping.". "Lisa and Detective David Burkely investigate, connecting the killer to the disappearance of a woman called Amy Reynolds.".