Archie Panjabi leads cast of ‘Play for Today’ drama on Channel 5

Archie Panjabi will lead the cast of ‘The Quiet Hour’, a new one-off drama in 5’s revived ‘Play for Today’ strand, alongside Paul Kaye.

Panjabi plays Riya, an overworked NHS nurse navigating an understaffed ward, medical emergencies and the emotional impact of past mistakes during a night shift. The drama also explores her relationship with her teenage daughter and the pressures facing healthcare professionals.

Written by Sarah Louise Madden and directed by Margo Roe, ‘The Quiet Hour’ is one of six new films commissioned for the second outing of the anthology strand.

Speaking to Radio Times about the project, Panjabi said: “If you’re making a show about the NHS and it’s not challenging, you’re not making a good show because the truth about the NHS – they’re so overworked and there isn’t enough money – is challenging.”

She added that healthcare professionals’ mental health was an important issue to address, describing nurses as “the backbone of the NHS”.

‘The Quiet Hour’ is scheduled to air on Friday 16th October at 21:05 on 5 and 5 streaming.