BBC psychological thriller The Woman in the Wall has found itself a new legion of fans after dropping on Netflix this week.

Six-part drama The Woman in the Wall originally debuted in 2023 but has now been dropped on Netflix and unsurprisingly, it’s made its way into the Top 10 list.

At the time of its release, fans were labelling it “exceptional” and “captivating from the very beginning”, with others hailing it as “one of the best shows ever”.

As more Netflix fans discover this “must-watch” drama, here’s everything there is to know about The Woman in the Wall.

What is The Woman in the Wall about?

BBC The Woman in the Wall stars actress Ruth Wilson as Lorna Brady. (Image: BBC)

The Woman in the Wall is about troubled Lorna Brady (played by Ruth Wilson) who lives in a small Irish town and struggles with extreme sleepwalking.

It is soon explained this is an aftereffect of Lorna being incarcerated in a convent’s Magdalene Laundry as a pregnant teenager before her baby was taken away from her.

After sleepwalking one night, she discovers a dead body in her house, with no memory of who the person is or what happened to them.

Dublin detective Colman Akande (Daryl McCormack) arrives to investigate the murder of a local priest and soon their worlds collide in a tense cat-and-mouse dynamic.

Is The Woman in the Wall based on a true story?

The Woman in the Wall’s backstory of the Magdalene Laundries is based on real-life historical events. (Image: BBC)

BBC psychological thriller The Woman in the Wall is not based on a true story with Lorna and the town of Kilkinure both fictional. But Lorna’s backstory regarding the history of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes is disturbingly true.

These institutions were run by Roman Catholic religious orders during the 18th Century and housed “fallen women”, who could be anyone from unmarried mothers and rape victims, to those considered “promiscuous” by society.

They would be forced to work long, unpaid hours in silence with the pregnant women in the facilities having their babies taken away from them shortly after birth. The babies would then be placed into secretive or illegal adoptions without the mothers’ consent.

The Woman in the Wall filming locations

The Woman in the Wall cast: Detective Colman Akande is played by actor Daryl McCormack.(Image: BBC)

As previously explained, the Irish town of Kilkinure where The Woman in the Wall is set, doesn’t actually exist.

In reality, the BBC drama was primarily filmed in Portaferry, County Down, Northern Ireland, which doubled up as the town. Other parts of the show were also shot in Western Ireland in County Mayo.

Northern Ireland has been home to some of the biggest shows around over the years, including Derry Girls, The Fall, Line of Duty and Bloodlands.

The Woman in the Wall cast

Leading the cast as troubled Lorna Brady is actress Ruth Wilson, best remembered for starring in the drama The Affair. Some of her other most memorable work include Jane Eyre, Luther, His Dark Materials, Down Cemetery Road and A Very Royal Scandal.

Detective Colman Akande is brought to life by actor Daryl McCormack who has starred in Peaky Blinders, Bad Sisters and The Wheel of Time.

Other cast members include House of Guinness actress Hilda Fay, Motherland’s Philippa Dunne and Holby City star Chizzy Akudolu.

The Woman in the Wall is available to watch on Netflix.