Midnight Man is a three part drama, produced by Carnival Films, which tells the timely story of a terrifying conspiracy, reaching the highest echelons of power.

James Nesbitt (Murphy’s Law, Jekyll, Bloody Sunday) plays Max Raban, a former journalist reduced to raking through bins for tacky celebrity stories to sell to the tabloids. But everything changes when his nocturnal rummaging uncovers a frightening world of deceit and distrust with fatal consequences.

Raban’s life begins to fall apart when his estranged wife is murdered and he’s framed for the crime, forcing him to become a fugitive. But Raban discovers a death squad is at work and he’s determined to expose the truth about the brutal killers.

The series also stars Catherine McCormack (28 Weeks Later, Elizabeth David: A Life in Recipes, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot ) as Raban’s unlikely ally, Zara Turner (The Brief, Forgotten, McCallum) as his estranged wife, Rupert Graves as Daniel Cosgrave,an influential political lobbyist (The Waiting Room, The Dinner Party, The Forsyte Saga), Ian Puleston Davies (Silent Witness, Vincent, Dirty Filthy Love) as a newspaper editor and Reece Dinsdale (The Chase, Ahead of the Class, Thief Takers) as an anti terrorist officer.

Midnight Man is written by David Kane (Sea of Souls, Rebus), produced by Alan J. Wands (Rebus, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot, The Magdalene Sisters), directed by David Drury (Fallen Angel, Love Lies Bleeding) and the executive producer is Gareth Neame.

Laura Mackie, Director of Drama at ITV says: “David Kane’s Midnight Man is a fast-paced, slick thriller full of intrigue and conspiracy that has attracted a fantastic cast led by James Nesbitt, who we are delighted to have back on ITV1.

Gareth Neame, Managing Director of Carnival Films, says: “David Kane has created a magnificent unlikely hero in Max and I’m excited to see James Nesbitt play him. Midnight Man is a smart and sophisticated thriller which will take audiences on a journey of suspense, intrigue and suspicion. It provides a modern twist on the traditional conspiracy thriller, with a strong character element.

Episode 1:

Max (James Nesbitt) is a former journalist with a chronic fear of daylight, reduced to raking through bins for cheap celebrity stories which he sells to the tabloids to earn a living. But things are about to change.

Two Iranian cousins are murdered - one active in human rights, the other completely apolitical. Max uncovers some evidence which suggests a cover up and suspects he’s on to a proper story at last. But with his track record as an occasionally unreliable conspiracy theorist, will any one believe him? He needs hard evidence.

Max links the killings to a small policy group, Defence Concern, whose aim is to place defence and national security at the top of the political agenda.

He also comes to the horrifying realisation that there’s a death squad at work in the UK, which appears to be targeting pro-Islamists. And worse, these murders appear to have been committed with the blessing of the Government’s Defence Secretary. Max believes that the gang of vigilantes mistakenly killed the wrong cousin and are trying to hide their crime.

He finds an unlikely ally in right wing Alice Ross (Catherine McCormack) – a policy adviser with Defence Concern. Despite her personal politics, Alice fears the group crossed a serious ethical line. Although Max finds her control-freakery exasperating and she is far from enamoured by his own eccentricities, the two strike up an uneasy friendship as they struggle to expose the truth.

Episode 2:

"Your prints were on the gun they found"

Max Raban has uncovered the activities of a death squad and is determined to stop them before they kill anyone else on their list, but his investigations are putting his own family at risk.

Fearing the worst, he races back to his family's home to find that his wife Carolyn has been shot dead and his old home is surrounded by police. Max is the number one suspect for her murder, and his daughter has been taken away to live with her aunty Diane.

Max knows he must have been framed for his wife's murder by whoever is behind the death squad but now he's got to prove it. In a panic he goes on the run from the police, hoping he can find the evidence he needs in time to clear his name and uncover the conspiracy.

Alice opens the confidential file she stole from Daniel Cosgrave, and uncovers a list of names – one of which is Reza Dunush, Majid’s cousin. Realising there is truth in Max's claim that Defence Concern is involved in a conspiracy, Alice asks to meet him.

Episode 3:

In the final episode Max suspects the death squad is being protected and funded by the front man of The Validus Group, Donald Hagan. The Validus Group is a hugely successful US private equity corporation and one of the world’s biggest investors in the arms industry. Therefore, it is in the Group's interests to see that profitable global warfare continues.

The death squad and those behind it have so far tried to silence Max by killing his wife and framing him for her murder. However, Max is determined to expose the truth and prevent any more murders.

Alice Ross, a former employee of Defence Concern fears her boss Daniel Cosgrave is being knowingly manipulated by Hagan. They may be planning a dreadful event, possibly even a new 9/11, to create a greater appetite for defence spending and lining their pockets at the same time. However, Alice's collaboration with Max has put her in danger.

Worried that Alice has been killed or seriously injured by the death squad's leader, Blake, Max rushes to her aide. Is she safe or has she become another victim ? ...