Richard Armitage on what Red Eye shares with Harlan Coben thrillers

And actually, according to Armitage, Red Eye holds some similarities to those previous tense series from the acclaimed best-selling novelist.

Chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com about whether there's anything that can be shared between Red Eye and the Harlan Coben series universe, Armitage said: "I do actually [see parallels], and mainly because it's the kind of show that I enjoy watching as well as participating in.

"Harlan works very much on that kind of page-turner, end of episode hook. He uses technology a lot to sort of unravel characters. And I think Peter [A Dowling, director] has done a similar thing with this."

Armitage continued: "This is much more geopolitical. Something that we recognise, the aeroplane scenario, the confinement, the locked room conceit, which creates a brilliant story.

"But again, the brilliant episode hooks that keep you watching - and actually, in an ITV show, you have to have segment hooks as well, so you've got four little hooks and then one big hook to bring you back next time."

He added: "This, to me, felt like a return to the kind of work I was doing on Spooks, with a bit of Bourne and a bit of Mission: Impossible thrown in – and I think it kind of looks as big as a movie, but you've got six chunky episodes to enjoy."

The new series sees Armitage star as Dr Matthew Nolan, a relatively unassuming man who is arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman during a recent business trip to China.

Ordered to return to the country after travelling back to the UK, Jing Lusi features as DC Hana Li, a British officer who is charged with accompanying Nolan to Beijing.

But on the flight, she begins to suspect Matthew is in danger when a number of deaths occur.

Read more:

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The series comes from production company Bad Wolf (Doctor Who) and, according to the synopsis, is a "collision of three worlds – DC Hana Li (Jing Lusi), journalist Jess Li (Jemma Moore) and MI5’s Madeline Delaney (Lesley Sharp)".

It continues: "All three women are thrown into the same life-threatening conspiracy when a British doctor (Richard Armitage) is arrested for murder upon flying home from Beijing."

Additional reporting by David Craig.

Red Eye premieres on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday 21st April. Stream all episodes on ITVX after episode 1 airs.

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