Jill Halfpenny and Sally Lindsay’s new thriller hides a sinister twist you won’t see coming

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Jill Halfpenny is a well-known actress, but her role in Number One Fan is particularly disturbing, and the show is designed to be full of surprises.

Today, Channel 5 begins airing a new four-part thriller featuring Jill as Lucy Logan, a popular and seemingly flawless daytime TV host. Lucy runs her own successful morning show and has created a thriving brand centered around self-care, projecting an image of perfection to her viewers. Her home life appears just as idyllic, with a stable marriage to Shawn (played by Daniel Adegboyega) and two children, Jacob and Poppy.

Everything changes for Lucy when she meets Donna, played by Sally Lindsay, who initially seems like just a very enthusiastic fan. Donna rescues Lucy from a daytime mugging, and in that moment, they briefly connect as Donna reveals she’s a big admirer of the presenter.

Lucy, wanting to show her thanks, invites Donna to visit the set of her TV show, thinking that would be the end of their connection. However, Rachel Kilfeather, the creator of Number One Fan (and a writer for Hollyoaks), quickly proves that assumption wrong.

It all starts when Lucy meets a thankful fan, but their interaction quickly becomes unsettling and invasive. This fan, Donna, starts showing up everywhere Lucy is – at her job, out in public, and increasingly in her private life. The story initially seems like a typical ‘dangerous fan’ scenario, where obsession leads to trouble. However, Number One Fan adds a surprising twist to the familiar premise.

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The show intentionally subverts the tropes of classic psychological thrillers focusing on obsessive female characters. Number One Fan takes these familiar themes and explores them through the lens of blame and revenge. Actress Jill Halfpenny has suggested the show will be unpredictable, stating, “It takes a very shocking turn, and I think there are things that will genuinely surprise viewers.”

The show avoids simple characterizations; Lucy isn’t just a helpless victim, and Donna isn’t a typical villain – Number One Fan intentionally mixes those roles. Sally Lindsay’s performance adds to this complexity. While known from shows like Coronation Street and The Madame Blanc Mysteries, she delivers a chilling portrayal of Donna, a character who feels both vulnerable and increasingly threatening as the story unfolds.

Sally has described the role as physically demanding, especially during scenes where her character clashes with Jill Halfpenny. While they used a stunt coordinator, both actresses are experienced in performing physical scenes. Sally hinted that some of the fights between their characters are intense and unpleasant, but she described the process as a kind of choreographed ‘dance’ between the two of them.

Sally found playing the character of Donna disturbing. She remarked that watching herself portray Donna was strange, saying, ‘I’ve never seen myself look like that before.’ She described one scene where her character appeared completely unhinged, admitting she’d be frightened to encounter that version of Donna alone at night. The reasons behind Donna’s behavior are equally unsettling. Sally explained that a significant event in Donna’s late twenties deeply affected her, and she’s been unable to cope with it since. Initially, Donna presents as reserved and quiet, but she undergoes a dramatic transformation.

Throughout the series, more and more secrets are revealed, putting Lucy in an increasingly dangerous situation. At the same time, Donna gains more power and seems ready to trigger a major event. It becomes obvious that Donna’s motivations are much deeper than simply responding to Lucy, and Lucy needs to understand what’s really driving her.

Number One Fan airs this Monday at 9pm on Channel 5.

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2026-05-04 23:19