‘Hidden gem’ affair drama starring Helen McCrory and Callum Turner jumps up Netflix top 10

Leaving is a three-parter that first aired on ITV in 2012 (Picture: Red Productions/ITV) If you’ve never heard of the May December affair drama starring Helen McCrory and Callum Turner, I was in your shoes just a day ago. That was when I clicked on Leaving on Netflix, many years after the three-parter first aired on ITV1 to some rather tepid reviews, because it had crept up to a marquee spot on the streamer’s top 10. The show revolves around a swanky countryside hotel (they have an orangery!), where Julie (McCrory) is the bossy manager of catering and events, with a speciality in bringing off weddings. She might power dress in bodycons and fearsome black stilettos, but during the happy couple’s day she mouths along to the vows and tears up off to the side. At one such wedding is the posh twentysomething Aaron (Turner), who spends the night drowning his sorrows because the groom is his brother and the bride his ex-girlfriend. As if that isn’t bad enough, Aaron has failed to find a job in the three years since leaving university and is still living with his parents; back when Leaving aired in 2012, this was more abnormal than the depressing reality for graduates now. There’s a fair dose of simmering workplace tension between the pair (Picture: ITV) He lands a job at the hotel, where Julie is suddenly his boss: cue simmering workplace tension. He’s taken with her commitment to the job; she’s faintly jealous of his fellow wait staff, who are smitten with him. All the while, we see more of Julie’s rather lacklustre, if not outright terrible, life at home with her husband and two teenage children, who are near-ish in age to Aaron. Despite that age gap and once the tension has suitably built, Julie and Aaron share a kiss towards the end of the first episode. There are clear inspirations from The Graduate and Educating Rita (there’s a slightly wonky strain to their relationship where she feels how much posher he is), but Julie is too confused and taken aback by the romance to come off as a seductive Mrs Robinson type. Instead, it’s Aaron who sort of seduces her. Julie (McCrory) is the bossy manager of catering and events, with a speciality in bringing off weddings (Picture: ITV) I’ve only watched that first instalment, but I already know I’m in for all three. Part of it is the joy of seeing McCrory, who died in 2021 at the age of 52 after a cancer diagnosis, back on screen and playing a weirdly difficult character, who might have been fumbled in less capable hands. Then there’s also the strangeness of beholding a very young Turner, demonstrating a bit of the charm that might be about to clinch him the James Bond role. He mostly carries off some of the sillier scenes. It is also, definitely, the fact that the miniseries is a virtually unheard-of three episodes. It will no doubt end in tears (perhaps mine), but at least that end point isn’t far off. We meet posh twentysomething Aaron (Turner) still stinging from his brother and ex-girlfriend’s relationship(Picture: ITV) I’m not alone in being convinced – the good people of IMDb get me. The show has a rating of 7/10 over there, with a couple shouting it out as ‘unexpectedly good’. ‘Was a bit initially unsure but honestly it’s such a find!’ wrote @fntrcffn in their review. ‘Slightly sad to see Helen on the screen but good to see some of Callum Turner’s early work!! Well worth a little binge on a rainy afternoon!!’ Will you be watching Leaving? Want to get bespoke updates on the TV shows you love? Sign up to Metro's TV newsletters and tell us which ones you can't get enough of @lloyd150 described it as ‘a little gem’ discovered late one evening, that admittedly had some areas which could have been further fleshed out (blame the three-episode run time) but added: ‘It could have been better, but the main actors were first class and portrayed their roles very well.’ Worryingly, there is one rather moany review from @geewhiz46 which pinpoints the weak ending, so I’ll keep my thumbs up tentative for now. Deals of the Day I tried L'Oréal Paris's new PDRN serum and my skin looked glossier after one use This new Cricut gadget turns your favourite photos into stickers in minutes From kitchen hatches to burgundy walls – the biggest home trends for 2027 Oodie’s cosy blanket sale has arrived just in time for Christmas shopping Save over £700 on Simba's top-rated mattresses in this limited-time sale Leaving is available to stream on Netflix. Arrow MORE: Netflix bosses planning fourth Inbetweeners movie before the third’s even released Arrow MORE: Coronation Street and Emmerdale dropped from ITV schedules Arrow MORE: Louis Walsh had a ‘minor heart attack’ while filming Celebrity Big Brother TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.