Little Disasters: 'Emotionally terrifying' psychological thriller starring Jo Joyner is coming to Channel 5 soon
The six-part drama series is an adaptation of the hit novel of the same name from bestselling author Sarah Vaughan
Little Disasters, an “emotionally terrifying story” starring TV favourite Jo Joyner, is coming soon to Channel 5 – and the plot is based on every parents’ worst nightmare.
It’s a psychological thriller based on the bestselling novel of the same name by author Sarah Vaughan. She’s best known for the acclaimed novel and series Anatomy of a Scandal. It previously aired on Paramount+, and now arrives for the first time on free-to-air C5.
The hard-hitting plot centres around a tight-knit group of women and their husbands. Their friendship is tested to the limit when something very disturbing about one of them comes to light. Here’s everything you need to know about Little Disasters on Channel 5, including plot, cast, start date, and the book it’s based on.
What’s the plot of Little Disasters on Channel 5?
The “complex psychological thriller with a mystery at its heart” explores female friendship and motherhood.
Little Disasters centres on the friendship between four women – Jess, Liz, Mel and Charlotte – who met 10 years ago as expectant mothers at an antenatal class. Despite having little in common apart from their due dates, they became firm friends. And they’ve been there for each other throughout motherhood.
At the heart of the mystery is Jess, the seemingly perfect stay-at-home mother. But her world begins to fracture when she brings her baby daughter to the hospital with a head injury she can’t explain.
Her close friend and on-duty A&E doctor Liz must make the excruciating decision to call social services… And this sets in motion a chain of events that ripples, fractures and nearly destroys not only their families but their entire friendship group.
What really happened to Betsy?
A synopsis tell us: “The drama unveils the emotional fault lines beneath a decade of friendship, offering a powerful glimpse into the deep bonds and simmering tensions between the four women.
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“We see Jess at breaking point as she battles personal turmoil as she tries to take care of her children while being kept at a distance by the authorities.”
As the threat of police and social services hangs over Jess, we see her husband and family man Ed on the brink as their perfect life unravels around them.
Meanwhile, Liz must deal with the emotional impact of her decision. Of course, the consequences of that night also have a ripple effect on the wider group as Mel and Charlotte are drawn into the investigation of what really happened to baby Betsy…
Is Channel 5’s Little Disasters based on a book?
Like The Crow Girl, which aired on Paramount+ in early 2025, Little Disasters is based on a popular book of the same name.
The upcoming series is an adaptation of the hit novel written by bestselling author Sarah Vaughan. She’s behind the acclaimed novel Anatomy of a Scandal.
A synopsis for the book says: “You think you know her, but look a little closer. She is a stay-at-home mother of three with boundless reserves of patience, energy and love. After being friends for a decade, this is how Liz sees Jess. Then one moment changes everything.
“Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface – and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend, and about herself.”
Reviews for the book describe it as “a deep dive into the dark side of motherhood”, “emotionally devastating”, “an emotionally terrifying story”, and “every mothers nightmare”.
Who’s in the cast of the thriller?
German actress Diane Kruger portrays the central character of Jess, a mum of three who seems to have it all. Until she doesn’t.
Diane is perhaps best known for playing heroine Helen in the 2004 film Troy, opposite Brad Pitt. Other huge film roles include National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and Inglourious Basterds. On TV, she’s famous for portraying Joyce Holt in Swimming with Sharks, and Sonya Cross in The Bridge, in which two detectives work together to take down a serial killer operating on both sides of the Texas-Chihuahua border.
British actress Jo Joyner portrays Jess’ friend Liz, the A&E doctor who is forced to make an unthinkable decision about her friend. Of course, Jo is best known for playing Tanya Branning in EastEnders, Erin Cartwright in Netflix’s Harlan Coben series Stay Close, and Mandy Carter in Ackley Bridge. Last year, she was back playing Luella Shakespeare in series 5 of Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.
Shelley Conn also stars as third friend Charlotte in the cast of Little Disasters. Shelley is known for playing Indira Shetty in Gen V, Beelzebub in Good Omens, Lady Mary Sharma in Bridgerton, and Laura Kellner in Alex Rider. She also starred as DI Vanessa Harmon in Liar, Dr. Elisabeth Shannon in Terra Nova, and Jessica Fraser in Mistresses.
Lastly, Emily Taaffe completes the quartet of friends. She’s known for playing Katya in the 2016 TV adaptation of War & Peace, Niamh in The Beast Must Die, and Maria Kelly in The Rising.
The Peripheral’s JJ Feild, Black Mirror’s Ben Bailey-Smith, The Office’s Patrick Baladi, and Masters of the Air’s Stephen Campbell Moore play the male leads.
How many episodes is Little Disasters on Channel 5?
Little Disasters is a six-part original series which premiered exclusively on Paramount+ in spring 2025. And it is now landing on Channel 5.
Each episodes is around an hour long.
How can I watch Little Disasters? When’s the start date?
Little Disasters is coming to Channel 5 in mid-June. Watch this space for more info.
The six-parter previously premiered exclusively on Paramount+ in 2025. We expect the series to drop as a boxset.
Did Little Disasters get good reviews?
Little Disasters received mixed reviews. Variety said: “Paramount+ thriller hooks us with Diane Kruger’s antivaxxer mom, but abandons its most interesting themes. Instead, Little Disasters veers in a soapier direction. The absurd coincidences and conflicts of interest continue to pile up.”
The Telegraph said: “Paramount+’s drama starring Diane Kruger and Jo Joyner is undeniably bingeable, mainly thanks to the madly luxurious lifestyles on display.”
The Hollywood Reporter added: “Little Disasters doesn’t reach quite the extremes of the film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, but the anxiety is similar. We expect mothers to achieve a level of perfection. But if we saw the reality or what’s in the heads of many of them, we’d be either horrified or reassured. Perhaps both.”
Read more: ‘Incredible’ filming locations in Little Disasters revealed across the UK and in Europe
