The Bay Series 5 airs from Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 on ITV1 at 9:00pm
Episode 1
DS Jenn Townsend, Morecambe Police’s Family Liaison Officer, has just returned to the MIU following her father’s death when a call comes in; a body has been found – a young woman, Hannah Dawson, has been murdered. As she pushes aside her own grief to break the news to Hannah’s loved ones, she finds herself in the middle of a divided family. Hannah’s divorced parents, Julie and Steve, are forced to confront their broken relationship in the wake of their daughter’s death, leaving her grandfather, Tommy, and brother Bradley, in the middle – as well as Julie’s new husband, Craig. Back at home, when an unexpected arrival turns up on her doorstep, Jenn’s family life becomes even more chaotic. But Jenn’s soon pulled away when she gets a new lead in the case.
Episode 2
When Hannah’s boyfriend, Cal, is discovered near death, Jenn and the team are worried that Manning released information from their enquiries to the public too soon and has put the case in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Jenn’s left to juggle the investigation alongside brewing tensions at home. Chris is facing the pressure of an imminent OFSTED inspection and, combined with Jenn’s mum’s, Anne, constant criticism of her, the cracks begin to show in their relationship. In the MIU, Manning faces mounting pressure from his seniors as he seeks to prove he hasn’t made a mistake and when Jenn decides to arrest one of Hannah’s family, she struggles to keep her FLO relationships intact while they point the finger of suspicion at each other – and a new suspect is identified.
Episode 3
Julie’s life starts to implode further when Craig’s lies begin to unravel as he attempts to explain his whereabouts on the night of Hannah’s death. Tommy seems to know more about what Craig’s been up to than he’s letting on. While the Morecambe community want reassurance that they are safe, Karen’s conduct at a vigil for Hannah is called into question, risking her place in the MIU and causing more pressure on Manning as he juggles a growing divide in his team with frustration at the lack of progress in the investigation. Jenn’s troubles at home continue to grow, forcing Anne to step in, and leaving her relationship with Chris more strained than ever. And further information comes to light about Hannah and Cal which leave the team with an unexpected lead.
Episode 4
A vital clue leads the MIU to take a closer look at another of Hannah’s family members but, when red tape stops the team in their tracks, Manning’s frustrations at the lack of results reach an all-time high and he cuts corners to move the investigation forward. Manning’s not the only one in trouble: Jenn’s FLO relationship is in jeopardy when her support for Steve goes too far. Meanwhile, Chris faces the OFSTED inspectors but soon faces a problem closer to home. And when his gamble doesn’t pay off and hope fades that Cal might lead the team to Hannah’s killer, Manning’s left in hot water with his seniors as the investigation reaches another dead end.
Episode 5
It’s all change in the MIU when a new SIO is called in to lead the team. More direct in style than Manning, the team struggles to adapt to a new way of working but is forced to accept the new regime to get some fresh leads in Hannah’s case. When an error in judgement gets Erin in hot water at work, Jenn must choose between her family and her job. Pulled in different directions, Chris is left disappointed when Jenn’s priorities don’t align with his. When Jenn is left with no choice but to arrest Craig, Julie’s trust in her is damaged and, with pressure mounting, Jenn’s family feel the full force of the grief she’s been trying so hard to contain.
Episode 6
When crucial evidence in the case is found, Jenn and the team discover someone close to Hannah has been withholding vital information from them all along. As they finally fill in the blanks in Hannah’s life, piecing together her final movements on the night she died, a message from Hannah leads them to her killer. As Steve and Julie look to move past their traumatic history, Jenn faces up to the fallout from her actions. She’s forced to admit that her dad’s death has impacted her more than she realised. With so many changes in the MIU and at home, she’s left contemplating her future.