The Castaways has everything we love in a Channel 5 thriller - a beautiful location, twisty plot, and a cast led by the ever-reliable Sheridan Smith and Celine Buckens.

The series follows sisters Lori and Erin as they embark on the holiday of a lifetime in Fiji, but the dream trip soon turns into a nightmare... Not for us viewers, though, for us it's a blast (to watch).

Previously shown on Paramount in 2023, the five-parter now lands on Channel 5 - and it couldn't be more different to ITV's offering at the same time. While Out There follows county line drug dealing amongst Wales' farming community, The Castaways was filmed on sandy beaches.

Both are brilliantly bonkers in their own way. Here's everything you need to know about The Castaways on Channel 5, including plot, episodes, location, cast, and how to watch...

What is the plot of The Castaways on Channel 5?

The Castaways follows sisters Lori and Erin as they embark on the holiday of a lifetime in Fiji. However, after a huge fight, Erin fails to board the island-hopping flight to their resort. And the plane, with Lori on board, never arrives at its destination...

Months later, no plane or survivors have been found... But, when a piece of wreckage is found in the middle of the ocean, the authorities decide to close the case.

Erin refuses to accept that her sister could have perished onboard and searches for any shred of evidence. When she discovers that Lori's credit card has been used in a corner shop in a remote village in Fiji, she realises her sister could be alive.

Erin sets out on a journey to discover the mystery of what happened to her sister. The series jumps between the two sisters' perspectives, as Erin undertakes a perilous mission to uncover the truth of the crash, while Lori struggles for survival among her fellow castaways after a lightning storm causes her plane to plummet.

How can I watch it? How many episodes is it?

The Castaways is five episodes long. Each episode is one hour.

The series, which has already aired on Paramount+ and is still available to watch to subscribers, will start on Channel 5 in late January.

The first episode airs at 9pm on Sunday, January 16, 2025 at 9pm. The series continues on consecutive days until the final episode on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

Who's in the cast?

Sheridan Smith leads the cast of The Castaways as Lori Holme. Of course, the actress is well known to TV fans as a result of her roles in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Cilla, Cleaning Up, Gavin & Stacey, Four Lives, and The Teacher.

Céline Buckens portrays her sister Erin Holme. She's probably best known for playing the complicated Talitha Campbell in Showtrial series 1, Mia in Free Rein, Sophie Mercer in Warrior, Sapphire in Suspect, and Tasha in The Ex-Wife.

Meanwhile, Australian actor Brendan Cowell stars as Mike Brass. He recently played Duke Ferdinand Richese in Dune: Prophecy.

Ready for This actor Lasarus Ratuere stars as Felix Vatubua, Insomnia's Dominic Tighe portrays Daniel Eldridge, and Who Is Erin Carter?
star Charlotte Vega plays Amber Gordon.

Where was The Castaways filmed?

The Castaways is set in Fiji, and it was filmed there too. Although some scenes were also filmed in Greece.

At the time, Sheridan revealed she was heading off to film in Greece for six weeks, following her spell in the West End's Shirley Valentine - which is about a woman who runs off to a Greek island!

She wrote on Instagram: "I'm genuinely off to Greece filming for six weeks. You couldn't write it - let's hope I find my Costas. Not the coffee!!"

She also revealed that she had to have her tattoos covered up. Speaking to Radio Times, the actress said: "Normally I can get away with cardigans or long-sleeve shirts, but wrecked on a tropical island…

"I had a call three hours before anyone else."

How many series of The Castaways are there?

There is only one series of The Castaways. Because the series is based on a book (see below), it's unlikely they'll be a second series.

That's unless writer Ben Harris - who adapted the novel for television - decides to continue.

Is it based on a book?

The Castaways on Channel 5 is based on the Lucy Clarke bestselling novel of the same name, which was published in 2021.

Critics called the book "tense and twisty", "full of atmosphere and tension", and "a genuine page-turner".

The book synopsis reads: "You wake on a beautiful, remote island. Sparkling blue seas, golden sunsets, barely a footprint in the sand. Yet this is no ordinary escape.

"Next to the wreck of a plane, a stranger paces. Another sharpens a knife, scoring a list of the dead onto a palm tree. Others watch from the shadows of a campfire – all with untold stories, and closely-guarded secrets…

"This is no ordinary holiday. This is no ordinary island. This is no ordinary beach read."

The novel has a four and a half out of five star rating on Amazon.

The Castaways starts on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at 9pm on Channel 5.