Sizzling tale depicts love under siege

WHAT IS THE SPLIT?

This explosive drama throws us head-first into the fast-paced world of London’s divorce law circuit.

From screenwriter Abi Morgan, who wrote The Iron Lady and The Hour, the BBC1 series is emotionally charged with a sizzling script.

Nicola Walker heads the bill as lawyer Hannah, who has walked out on her mother’s firm Defoe’s, where one of her two other sisters works.

An old flame threatens her marriage and her dad reappears – last seen walking out to buy a newspaper 30 years ago.

See last night’s episode on iPlayer. Continues Tuesday, BBC1 9pm.

WHO’S WHO

HANNAH Nicola Walker, star of Last Tango In Halifax, is a married divorce lawyer and eldest of three sisters.

NINA Being Human actress Annabel Scholey is the middle daughter, a lawyer with warm sibling rivalry.

ROSE Fiona Button, of BBC drama Outcast, plays youngest sister Rose, a nanny planning a scary wedding.

RUTH This formidable single mother to her girls is played by Cranford’s Deborah Findlay. She’s hurt Hannah has left her firm, Defoe’s.

NATHAN Episodes actor Stephen Mangan plays Hannah’s barrister husband Nathan. He thinks they are happy, but it doesn’t stay that way.

OSCAR Anthony Head, known for Merlin and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, stars as the girls’ long-lost dad Oscar, who returns out of the blue.

DAVEY Stephen Tompkinson (Wild At Heart) plays a ghastly sportswear mogul who dumps his wife.

GOLDIE Meera Syal (best known for Goodness Gracious Me) is Davey’s childhood sweetheart whose life is turned upside down by divorce.