Sheridan Smith, the two-time Olivier Award winner and BAFTA darling (Cilla, The Teacher), has delivered what critics are calling her “career-best performance” in Cleaning Up, ITV’s six-part financial thriller that has exploded onto screens and instantly claimed the title of 2025’s most gripping drama. Premiering January 9, 2025, and available to binge on ITVX, the series—written by Mark Marlow (The Capture) and directed by Michael Keillor (Line of Duty)—follows Sam (Smith), a devoted single mother and office cleaner who stumbles into an insider-trading scandal that turns her quiet life into a heart-stopping game of deception, danger, and survival.
By day, Sam is the warm, dependable mum everyone trusts—racing to school runs, juggling debts, and shielding her daughters from her gambling addiction. By night, she becomes someone ruthless, fearless, and hiding secrets her children must never discover. When she overhears a stockbroker’s phone call in the City of London offices she cleans, Sam sees a way out of financial ruin: one insider tip, one quick bet, one chance to change everything. But as the money rolls in, so do the consequences—a ghost from her hidden past resurfaces, suspicion closes in, and Sam faces the impossible choice: which life—and which truth—is worth killing for?
Smith is electric as Sam, her eyes flickering between desperation and defiance in a performance that’s already earned Golden Globe buzz. “Sheridan carries the entire show on her shoulders—and it’s mesmerizing,” wrote The Guardian. The supporting cast—Joanne Froggatt as the ruthless broker, Matthew McNulty as Sam’s ex, and newcomer Aimee Kelly as her teenage daughter—add layers of tension and heartbreak.
Critics are unanimous: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Times calling it “the most addictive British thriller since Line of Duty.” Viewers are obsessed: “I binged all six episodes in one night—Sheridan Smith is a force,” tweeted @DramaQueenUK (50k likes).
Cleaning Up isn’t just a thriller—it’s a masterclass in maternal love pushed to breaking point. Stream now on ITVX. You won’t look away.
