5 is bringing viewers a new one-off drama this Friday night at 9pm as Closing Time tells the story of an ambitious young cook whose life changes after a chance meeting with a lawyer trapped in an unhappy relationship.
- Antonio Aakeel stars as Mo, a talented migrant working in his uncle’s kebab shop
- Ellora Torchia plays Laila, a lawyer whose meeting with Mo sparks an unexpected romance
- Closing Time airs Friday at 9.05pm on Channel 5 and will be available to watch on demand
The latest film from Channel 5’s Play for Today strand explores ambition, love and the difficult choices that can come when someone decides to challenge the life they have settled for.
What is Closing Time about?
Closing Time follows Mo, played by Antonio Aakeel, a gifted cook who works in his uncle’s kebab shop.
Although Mo has ambitions beyond the takeaway, he has kept his culinary dreams largely to himself. His circumstances make pursuing those ambitions particularly complicated, with his visa renewal pending.
Everything changes during a late-night shift when Mo meets Laila, played by Ellora Torchia.
Laila is a thoughtful lawyer who finds herself stuck in a stagnant engagement. What begins as a chance encounter develops into a passionate relationship, with the pair connecting through conversations and cooking sessions late into the night.
As their relationship develops, Laila encourages Mo to take a chance on his culinary ambitions. In turn, Mo forces Laila to question whether the life she has built is really the one she wants.
The drama therefore puts both characters at a crossroads, with their relationship forcing them to consider what they want from their futures.
The film was written by Mina Barber and directed by Dan Sloan.
Who is in the cast of Closing Time?
The cast of Closing Time includes:
- Antonio Aakeel as Mo
- Ellora Torchia as Laila
- Jeff Mirza as Zia
- Nicholas Asbury as Eddie
- Saira Jackson as Danisha
- Justin McDonald as Mark
- Bairavi Manoharan as Asha
Aakeel will be familiar to viewers from Slow Horses and Sherlock & Daughter, while Torchia has appeared in House of the Dragon, Ali & Ava and Midsommar.
Aakeel plays Mo at the centre of the story, while Torchia takes on the role of Laila, whose chance meeting with him sets the drama’s events in motion.
Antonio Aakeel and Ellora Torchia lead the drama
For Aakeel, Closing Time follows a run of television and film roles, including his appearance as Hassan Ahmed in Slow Horses and Detective Swann in Sherlock & Daughter.
Torchia’s credits include HBO’s House of the Dragon, Midsommar and Ali & Ava, adding another recognisable face to the Channel 5 drama.
Their characters are brought together by food and conversation, but the relationship soon becomes about more than their initial attraction as each begins to challenge the other’s assumptions about their future.
When is Closing Time on Channel 5?
Closing Time airs on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 9.05pm on Channel 5.
The drama has a reported runtime of approximately 55 minutes and is the third episode of the second series of Play for Today.
How to watch Closing Time live
Viewers can watch Closing Time live on Channel 5 from 9.05pm on Friday night.
How to watch Closing Time on demand
If you miss the broadcast, Closing Time will also be available to stream on demand through 5, Channel 5’s streaming service.
What can viewers expect from Closing Time?
While the central relationship gives Closing Time a romantic storyline, the drama also explores the pressures facing Mo as he attempts to work out whether he can turn his talent in the kitchen into a genuine career.
His pending visa renewal adds another source of uncertainty, while Laila’s relationship leaves her questioning whether she has allowed herself to become too comfortable with a life that no longer feels right.
The result is a character-led story about two people who meet at a moment when neither is quite where they expected to be.
With food, ambition and romance at the heart of the story, Closing Time promises an intimate drama rather than a traditional thriller — and gives 5 viewers another original story from its returning Play for Today strand.
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