A number of recognisable faces star in the mystery series.
Channel 5 mystery series The Good Ship Murder is essentially Midsomer Murders set on a cruise liner in the Mediterranean.
Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley lead the cast as an unlikely duo who team up to solve a spate of murders, with a host of other recognisable faces joining them for the eight-episode drama, which kicks off tonight (Friday 13th October).
Read more:
- Catherine Tyldesley and Shayne Ward on reuniting for The Good Ship Murder
- Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley solve crimes in The Good Ship Murder trailer
Read on for everything you need to know about the The Good Ship Murder characters and who plays them.
The Good Ship Murder main cast
- Shayne Ward as Jack
- Catherine Tyldesley as Kate
- Claire Sweeney as Beverley
- Geoffrey Breton as Piers
- Zak Douglas as Jamil
- Vincent Paul Ebrahim as Gregory
Shayne Ward plays Jack
Who is Jack? A cabaret singer who used to be a detective in the special crimes unit. When a passenger is killed, he joins forces with First Officer Kate Woods to solve the crime.
“Jack is a really likeable guy,” said Ward. “He’s the type of person who walks into a room and knows everyone – says hello to everyone. He’s a really kind soul who always wants to do the best for others and sees the best in others.
“He’s done his time in the police force, worked hard, been very committed, and now he’s enjoying this new chapter in his life. When we meet him, his past and present are about to collide. He’s solving crimes by day and entertaining passengers by night. It’s such good fun, a real rollercoaster of a part.”
Where have I seen Shayne Ward before? As well as winning The X Factor, he previously appeared in Coronation Street as Aidan Connor.
Catherine Tyldesley plays Kate
Who is Kate? A first officer who is training for her captain’s licence. When one of the ship’s passengers is murdered, she forms a partnership with Jack to unmask the perpetrator.
Tyldesley described her as “fierce”, adding: “She’s very smart and very career driven. It’s been a struggle for her to get to where she is in a very male-dominated arena, but it’s never once set her back. She is just as good, if not better, than every male opponent she’s ever come across.”
Where have I seen Catherine Tyldesley before? Most people know her as Eva Price from Coronation Street. She’s also appeared in Sky comedy Trollied, ITV crime drama Viewpoint, BBC sitcom Scarborough and an episode of ITV’s McDonald & Dodds.
Claire Sweeney plays Beverley
Who is Beverley? The cruise director. It’s her job to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible, a responsibility she relishes.
Where have I seen Claire Sweeney before? She’s best known for playing Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside. She joined Coronation Street this year.
Geoffrey Breton plays Piers
Who is Piers? Another first officer on the ship. He’s also Kate’s fiancé, but there’s clearly chemistry between his wife-to-be and Jack.
Where have I seen Geoffrey Breton before? He appeared in ITV’s Blue Murder and BBC One’s The Diary of Anne Frank, and he played Princess Anne’s first husband Mark Phillips in Netflix’s The Crown.
Zak Douglas plays Jamil
Who is Jamil? He works on the ship and also acts as Jack’s eyes and ears when seeing to the guests.
Where have I seen Zak Douglas before? You might have watched him in The Larkins.
Vincent Paul Ebrahim plays Gregory
Who is Gregory? The captain of the ship.
Where have I seen Vincent Paul Ebrahim before? Most people will know him from The Kumars at No 42.
Episode 1 cast
- Charlie Hardwick (Emmerdale) plays Brenda – one of the ship’s most valued passengers
- Nigel Betts (Emmerdale) plays Tony – Brenda’s husband
- Karen Henthorn (Coronation Street) plays Maureen – a passenger on the cruise
- Richard Pepper (Litvinenko) plays Nathan Grealish – another passenger
- Jean-Philippe Ricci (Mafiosa) plays Pascal – he used to work on the ship
- Anthony Edridge (The Crown) as Capitaine Lebron – a French police officer
The Good Ship Murder premieres on Channel 5 at 9pm on Friday 13th October 2023. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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