Unforgotten begins filming season 6 – a story in the works for 8 years

DCI Jessica James and DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan are returning to investigate another cold case.

By James Hibbs

Published: Tuesday, 12 March 2024 at 15:54 PM

The sixth season of Unforgotten has officially gone into production, with Sinéad Keenan and Sanjeev Bhaskar returning as DCI Jessica James and DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan.

The new season, which is based on an idea that creator Chris Lang has been working on since the Brexit referendum in 2016, will see Jess and Sunny investigating when suspected human remains are discovered on Whitney Marsh.

It soon becomes clear that the remains are relatively recent, and that the body was put there already dismembered.

Meanwhile, we’re introduced to outspoken TV commentator Melinda Ricci, Martin ‘Marty’ Baines, an autistic man who lives with his mother, Asif Syed, an Afghan who is training for his UK citizenship test, and history lecturer and faculty head Juliet Cooper.

Jess, Sunny and their team must unravel their connections to find out the truth.

The cast for the season has also been revealed, with Victoria Hamilton (Cobra), MyAnna Buring (The Responder), Jan Francis (I Want My Wife Back), Damien Molony (Brassic), Max Fairley and Elham Elas joining as the guest cast this year.

Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan at the readthrough for Unforgotten eason 6, talking to one another with scripts in front of them.
Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan at the Unforgotten season 6 readthrough.
ITV

Meanwhile, Jordan Long, Carolina Main, Pippa Nixon, Georgia Mackenzie, Andrew Lancel and Kate Robbins are all returning in their supporting roles. Lang will write the new season, while Andy Wilson is back as director.

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Keenan said of returning for season 6: “I am absolutely delighted to be stepping into the world of Unforgotten once more.

“To be involved with the incredible team at Mainstreet on yet another set of stellar scripts from Chris Lang, with the brilliant Andy Wilson at the helm, is a real treat.

“And to get to work again with Sanjeev, Carolina, Jordan, Pippa and Georgia is an absolute joy. To call it work is a total misnomer. I can’t wait to get started!”

Bhaskar added: “I’m humbled and excited to be back as Sunny Khan, bearing the backpack for series 6 of Unforgotten.

“Chris’s scripts, as ever, are intriguing, detailed and empathetic. Andy’s direction and the skill of Sinéad and the cast make this a warm and creative experience that [is] so much more than a job. Once again I feel lucky to be a part of it.”

Meanwhile, Lang said: “I’m incredibly excited to be about to start filming the sixth series of Unforgotten, with a story that has been gestating for nearly eight years, since 23rd June 2016, when our country seemed to fracture in two.

“The UK, and indeed the world, has today never seemed more divided, and series six attempts to try and understand how we got to where we are now and, perhaps more importantly, where we can go from here.”