Actors Sheridan Smith of The C Word fame and Michael Socha of Showtrial fame will lead the star cast of the BBC drama The Cage.

The series, written and created by Tony Schumacher, is produced by the Fremantle-owned Irish company Element Pictures. The series made for BBC iPlayer and BBC One is described by the makers as a "high-stakes, high-energy" crime series with "two unforgettable characters at its heart." The five-episode series will be directed by Al Mackay.

The Cage, a crime story set in the world of a Liverpool casino, follows Leanne (Smith) and Matty (Socha), employees at the inner-city casino who are both plotting to steal from its safe. Their lives collide when they discover their shared motivations. The series will be shot in and around the UK's Merseyside and Liverpool.

The Cage, produced by Clare Shepherd, was commissioned by the director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt. The series has Christopher Aird, Hilary Martin, Ed Guiney, Schumacher, Smith, Lucy Richer, and Andrew Lowe serving as the executive producers.