Channel 5 drama The Catch stars Jason Watkins as a man on the edge.
He plays Ed, a fisherman whose life is turned on its head when “a dark secret” from his past “returns to haunt him”. That also coincides with the arrival of his daughter’s new boyfriend Ryan, who he suspects is up to no good.
“As his determination to solve the mystery veers dangerously into obsession, the stage is set for a chilling climax leaving both Ed and Ryan’s lives hanging in the balance,” reads the logline.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Watkins said: “The great hook in this is the past and how it has haunted these characters and their environment. Unless we deal with it, unless we heal it, it will infect us, and that’s what’s so sophisticated about this thriller. It’s so well emotionally drawn.”
Read on for everything you need to know about The Catch cast and characters.
Who’s in the cast of The Catch?
The full cast of The Catch is as follows.
- Jason Watkins as Ed
- Cathy Belton as Claire
- Poppy Gilbert as Abbie
- Aneurin Barnard as Ryan
- Brenda Fricker as Phyllis
- Ian Pirie as Bob
- Morgan Palmeria as George
- Jade Jordan as Katz
- Cameron Jack as Craig
- Menyee Lai as Pauline
- Jacob Hickey as Josh
- Tracy Wiles as Detective Nott
- Karl Hogan as Baxter
- Paul Sparkes as Wayne Pendrick
For more about The Catch cast, read on…
Jason Watkins plays Ed
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Who is Ed? A former naval officer who now fishes for a living. Ed and his wife lost their son a number of years ago and he’s now terrified of losing their daughter after her new boyfriend Ryan arrives on the scene.
Ed is also forced to confront a harrowing incident from his past when an anonymous figure begins taunting him. Is Ryan responsible? Or is someone else to blame?
What else has Jason Watkins been in? He has an extensive CV, which includes ITV drama McDonald and Dodds, Around the World in 80 Days with David Tennant, The Crown, Line of Duty, true crime drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies and sitcom Trollied, among others.
Cathy Belton plays Claire
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Who is Claire? Ed’s wife and Abbie’s mum. Claire becomes increasingly concerned and frustrated by her husband’s secretive behaviour. He claims Ryan isn’t to be trusted, but she repeatedly tells him to lay his suspicions to rest – or risk losing her.
What else has Cathy Belton been in? You might recognise her from Alibi’s Miss Scarlet and the Duke and Irish crime drama Red Rock.
Poppy Gilbert plays Abbie
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Who is Abbie? Ed and Claire’s daughter. She was planning to begin a new life in Australia but ditched her big adventure to stay in the UK with Ryan. Abbie is close to her parents but Ed’s treatment of her boyfriend pushes her further and further away.
What else has Poppy Gilbert been in? She played the titular character in BBC psychological drama Chloe and starred as Barbie in Netflix’s Stay Close.
Aneurin Barnard plays Ryan
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Who is Ryan? Abbie’s boyfriend. Is Ryan hiding something? Is he the person tormenting Ed? Or has Jason Watkins’s character read him wrong?
What else has Aneurin Barnard been in? Netflix’s 1899, Peaky Blinders, the first season of BBC whodunnit The Pact, BBC drama Thirteen starring Jodie Comer and period drama The White Queen.
Brenda Fricker plays Phyllis
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Who is Phyllis? Claire’s mum. Ed and her daughter are now living with her due to her ongoing memory problems.
What else has Brenda Fricker been in? She won an Oscar in 1990 for her performance in My Left Foot. You might also recognise her as Megan Roach in Casualty.
Other cast members include:
- Ian Pirie (Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Guilt) as Bob – Ed’s fishing partner. While Ed is quick to anger, Bob is a largely placid character.
- Morgan Palmeria as George – Abbie’s ex-boyfriend and a lifeguard. He’s also suspicious of Ryan and tries to help Ed uncover his secrets.
- Jade Jordan (Redemption, No return) as Katz – Abbie’s best friend. Katz believes that Abbie is making a mistake ditching her Australia plans for Ryan
- Cameron Jack (Emmerdale, Silent Witness) as Craig – he used to serve in the navy alongside Ed.
- Menyee Lai (Everything I Know About Love, The Tower) as Pauline – a private investigator hired by Ed to look into the suspicious happenings.
- Jacob Hickey as Josh – Ed and Claire’s son. Ed blames himself for Josh’s death.
- Tracy Wiles (Doctors) as Detective Nott.
- Karl Hogan (Teen Life) as Baxter – he also served in the navy.
- Paul Sparkes (Cold Courage) as Wayne Pendrick – a police officer.
The Catch airs on Channel 5. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Drama hub for more news and features.
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