The BBC has unveiled the first trailer for chilling new drama The Child in Time.

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The short sneak peek sees Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch playing father Stephen, who has his young daughter abducted during a moment’s distraction at the supermarket.

And that’s just the start of the story. The 90-minute one-off special – adapted from Ian McEwan's 1987 novel of the same name ­– will focus on how Stephen and wife Julie (Kelly Macdonald) cope with their all-consuming grief.

Cumberbatch isn’t only the lead, but the Doctor Strange star is also the producer of The Child in Time. The drama is the first to be made by Cumberbatch’s production company SunnyMarch TV and was scripted by Stephen Butchard (The Last Kingdom) and directed by Julian Farino (Ballers).

In a previous statement Cumberbatch said,“I read the novel years ago and it stayed with me – profound, beautiful and very moving. Only Ian McEwan could write about loss with such telling honesty.”

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The Child in Time is coming soon to BBC1

Authors

Thomas LingDigital editor, BBC Science Focus

Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.

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