Channel 4 has dropped the first-look images from Russell T Davies’ new drama Tip Toe – and they give us a delicious glimpse of David Morrissey and Alan Cumming as two neighbours locked in what looks set to become a very messy feud.
It marks Davies’ fourth outing with the broadcaster after Queer as Folk, Cucumber, and 2021’s gut-punch of a series It’s a Sin. But this time the man who’s twice steered Doctor Who is swapping alien worlds for something far closer to home: the simmering resentments and razor-sharp tensions of suburban life.
If you enjoy your thrillers laced with dark humour, social bite and characters you can’t quite trust, Tip Toe is shaping up to be unmissable from Channel 4. Below, we break down everything we know so far – from the plot and cast to where Tip Toe was filmed, when it lands on Channel 4, and how many episodes to expect. Stay tuned for all the latest updates…
What’s the plot of Tip Toe on Channel 4?
Channel 4 describes Tip Toe as an “urgent, captivating and exciting” thriller. The action floats around neighbours who live in Manchester.
The official synopsis tells us: “The series will follow Leo and Clive who have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years.
“But just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalised, and gradually, two neighbours become deadly enemies in a tense, suburban thriller which challenges everything we consider to be safe.”
Tip Toe’s story “brings a spotlight to bear on the prejudices which are creeping back into our lives”.
How many episodes is it?
Just like It’s a Sin before it, Russell T Davies’ latest piece of TV work will spread across five episodes in total.
We’re expecting each instalment to last for an hour, including adverts.
Who’s in the cast of Tip Toe on Channel 4?
Alan Cumming portrays Leo in the cast of Tip Toe on Channel 4. Owner of the Gay Village bar Spit & Polish, Leo is described as “vivid, funny and dynamic”.
Scottish actor Alan is now widely recognised for presenting the American version of murder-mystery reality series The Traitors. Other standout credits include the films X-Men 2, GoldenEye, Eyes Wide Shut, and Spy Kids. He also played Eli Gold in the TV drama The Good Wife between 2010 and 2016.
Talking about Tip Toe, he said : “The best things in life are worth waiting for, and the best people. Russell T Davies and I have been trying to work together for over 20 years.
“Now, not only are we working together but doing so with one of my dearest, oldest friends, Dave Morrissey. And in a piece of work I think is so brilliant and prescient and necessary.”
David Morrissey co-leads as the “unsmiling” Clive. Of course, he’s best known for Sherwood, The Walking Dead, and The Long Shadow.
Tip Toe’s supporting players include Pooky Quesnel (Moonflower Murders) as Clive’s wife Marie, and Masters of the Air’s Jackson Connor as his youngest son George.
Joseph Evans (The Map That Leads to You) is onboard as Clive’s eldest boy Saul, while Virdee’s Elizabeth Berrington plays Leo’s best mate Stephanie.
Iz Hesketh (Renegade Nell), Shakeel Kimotho (CATS musical), Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Wednesday), Paul Rhys (Saltburn), Charlie Condou (The Madame Blanc Mysteries), and Loose Woman Denise Welch also appear.
Tip Toe filming locations
The upcoming show was filmed entirely in Manchester. In the show, Alan Cumming’s character Leo is the owner of a bar called Spit & Polish in Manchester’s Gay Village.
Peter Hoar, who most recently directed episodes of HBO’s The Last of Us, is calling the shots.
When’s the start date?
Channel 4 has not yet confirmed a start date for Tip Toe, but we know it will be in 2026.
As the first look pictures were released (in December 2025), Russell T Davies shared: “We’re in the final days of filming, and I’m so excited for 2026. This show has some of the finest acting I’ve ever seen, from the most splendid cast, and I can’t wait for it to hit Channel 4.”
How can I watch Tip Toe?
Channel 4 – along with its streaming home 4OD – will take charge of the UK premiere of Tip Toe when the series finally lands.
As for the rest of the world, ITV Studios has snapped up the international distribution rights, meaning the drama is set to travel far beyond Britain’s suburbs once it airs.
What TV shows is Russell T Davies famous for?
Russell T Davies last teamed up with Channel 4 in 2021 for the hugely acclaimed It’s A Sin. The series charted the personal cost of the 1980s AIDS crisis and struck such a chord with viewers that it became Channel 4’s biggest ever instant boxset on streaming.
Of course, Davies’ relationship with the broadcaster goes back much further. He first made his name with the era-defining Queer as Folk in 1999. The drama followed best friends Stuart and Vince, alongside 15-year-old Nathan, who is besotted with Stuart. It was raw, funny, unapologetically bold. And it launched the careers of Aidan Gillen and Charlie Hunnam. Its impact was immediate, inspiring a US version that ran for five years.
Beyond Channel 4, Davies has built one of the most varied CVs in British television. His credits include the sharp political saga Years and Years, his celebrated stints reinventing Doctor Who and crafting its darker sibling Torchwood. And most recently the BBC One spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Tip Toe will air on Channel 4 and Channel4.com in 2026.
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know if you’re looking forward to watching Tip Toe on Channel 4?