Passenger episode 2 includes a Broadchurch Easter egg

Although Nina's case is closed, Riya continues to dig for answers – much to the annoyance of her boss Chief Constable Linda Markel (Jo Hartley).

And it's in the second episode showdown between the pair that fans of Broadchurch may want to listen a little more closely, as there's an Easter egg in there for any watchers of the crime drama - in which Passenger writer and creator Andrew Buchan starred.

In Passenger episode 2, when Riya returns to the police station, Linda immediately greets her as "Sherlock" before stating that it's "good of you to make the time". Linda says: "I hear you put yourself on the Nina Karlson case, the closed Nina Karlson case."

She continues: "I thought I made it pretty clear, no more conspiracy crap."

Riya sighs and highlights how Nina didn't check out of Cath's B&B, nor did she pay her bill, but Linda wastes no time in referring to Manchester Met, the very place where it's clear Riya would rather be working.

"I'm just saying it might be worth looking into. I mean, maybe there's a cult thing or a drug thing or maybe where Nina went is where Katie went," Riya explains.

"There is more to this place than bins, I am telling you that now," Riya exclaims. "Pot holes don't just appear out of nowhere and stags don't just disintegrate on forest roads."

But Linda's having none of it, and simply says, "That's enough, Riya, this is not Broadchurch. Let us keep our eye on the prize," while holding up the poster for the Best Kept Village award.

It's clear Linda thinks that Riya may fancy herself as a bit of a DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) type, or perhaps even Olivia Colman's DS Ellie Miller.

One thing's for certain – fans of the Chris Chibnall series will likely recognise the small town nature of things reflected in Passenger's Chadder Vale.

In Passenger, though, actor Buchan takes a behind-the-scenes approach, and has penned the script and created the new ITV series.

Buchan, of course, starred as Mark Latimer in Broadchurch, alongside other big names such as Colman, Tennant, Jodie Whittaker and Jonathan Bailey. He has more recently been seen in This England and BBC's Better, but Passenger marks his screenwriting debut.

The synopsis for Passenger reads: "Welcome to Chadder Vale, a close-knit town where nothing seems to perforate the mundane. DI Riya Ajunwa is bored of solving petty crimes by day and looking after her batty mother-in-law by night. So, when Katie Wells goes missing one night in the forest, Riya thinks this could be the case that changes everything.

"The only problem is, Katie Wells shows up at home, safe and sound, 24 hours after she disappeared."

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It continues: "But Riya’s not convinced. Something doesn’t add up. Where did Katie go, and why won’t she tell Riya what happened in the forest? What about the reports of other young people who are disappearing - all seemingly with a connection to the fracking site and the old tree on the town’s outskirts?

"And then there’s the dead stag on the forest road, which has been obliterated into a thousand pieces by someone. Or something.

"Does it all have something to do with Katie’s dad Eddie Wells, who has just been released from prison? One drunken night five years ago he committed a monstrous crime, and Riya was the one who locked him up.

"Or does her nouveau-riche mate Derek - who runs the local bread factory - have something to do with it? He and his anxious brother are certainly hiding something."

Passenger continues on ITV1 on Sunday 31st March at 9pm, with episodes available to stream on ITVX. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

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