{"id":21019,"date":"2022-08-28T18:00:10","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T16:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1697192"},"modified":"2022-08-28T18:15:39","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T16:15:39","slug":"ridley-cast-meet-the-characters-and-actors-in-adrian-dunbar-drama","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/ridley-cast-meet-the-characters-and-actors-in-adrian-dunbar-drama\/","title":{"rendered":"Ridley cast: Meet the characters and actors in Adrian Dunbar drama"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Helen Daly\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 28 August 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Adrian Dunbar leads the cast of new ITV detective series, Ridley<\/a>, which sees the Line of Duty star play retired Detective Inspector, Alex Ridley.<\/p>\n

The series, which tackles a new mystery in each two-hour episode, welcomes cast familiar to many from the likes of The Crown<\/a>, Coronation Street<\/a> and Call the Midwife<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read on for your guide to the cast and characters in Ridley.<\/p>

Ridley cast: Who stars in the ITV series?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Adrian Dunbar plays <\/strong>Alex Ridley <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ridley: Adrian Dunbar stars as Alex Ridley (ITV)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Who is Alex Ridley?<\/strong> After 25 years as a detective, Ridley thought he\u2019d retired from the force, until a dark and complex case tempts him back as a consultant. Ridley doesn\u2019t suffer fools easily, and his unorthodox policing methods sometimes get him in trouble \u2013 especially when he becomes too attached to a case. He\u2019s a big empath, and shows real talent in understanding the psychology of murders.<\/p>\n

When we meet Ridley, his life is in turmoil having lost his wife and daughter in an arson attack 18 months ago. He couldn\u2019t come to terms with the tragedy and his guilt got the better of him, meaning he took early retirement on medical grounds. Outside of work, he loves his jazz music and performing in a local club \u2013 yes, that really is Dunbar singing.<\/p>\n

Who is Adrian Dunbar?<\/strong> You can\u2019t mention Adrian Dunbar without mentioning his stand-out role in Line of Duty as Ted Hastings, a role he\u2019s played since 2012. Dunbar has also starred in Blood as Jim Hogan, Broken as Father Peter Flaherty and The Hollow Crown as Plantagenet. He played Martin Summers in Ashes to Ashes, Ralph Nickleby in The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby and Sean Delaney in Silent Witness.<\/p>\n

Speaking about what drew him to the role of Alex Ridley, Dunbar said: \u201cHe\u2019s complicated in many ways, quite a distance away from anything I\u2019ve played before, even though it\u2019s me, it looks like me, and there\u2019s obviously echoes of Ted Hastings, because he\u2019s a cop. But there are so many interesting layers to his personality, so many things in his background, his history, especially with all the different places that he goes to and the different things he has to deal with. The complications of the guy, I think, was the main thing that attracted me to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bronagh Waugh plays Detective Inspector Carol Farman<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ridley: Bronagh Waugh is DI Carol Farman (ITV)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Who is Detective Inspector Carol Farman?<\/strong> Having received a promotion, Farman is determined to make her mark in the force. She\u2019s loyal, warm-hearted and intelligent, making her the perfect former colleague of Alex Ridley. She\u2019s married to wife Geri (Bhavna Limbachia), and the pair have a son, Jack (Tareq Al-Jeddal). Farman reaches out to her former mentor for help in the complex case featured in episode 1, and the pair have to come to terms with a readjusted power dynamic.<\/p>\n

Who is Bronagh Waugh?<\/strong> It\u2019s been a busy year for Waugh, who\u2019s already appeared in Our House, The Suspect and Ridley. She\u2019s also known for her roles in ITV\u2019s Viewpoint, Des and Midsomer Murders. Fans might also recognise her from season 3 of Unforgotten, when she played Jessica Reid.<\/p>\n

Speaking about why she wanted to play the formidable Farman, Waugh said: \u201cDI Carol Farman is a really well-shaped and layered character. What I loved about her is she\u2019s complex, she\u2019s layered, and she\u2019s really good at her job. She\u2019s a brilliant detective, but she does things her own way. She\u2019s warm, she\u2019s funny, she doesn\u2019t take any nonsense. She\u2019s a great mother, and she has a great home life with a loving wife. But she is like a dog with a bone when it comes to work, and very focused and entrenched, and absorbed in her work. So trying to strike that home-work balance is difficult for her. I really liked her. I thought she was tough, no nonsense, and felt like a real woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Terence Maynard plays DCI Paul Goodwin<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ridley: Terence Maynard is Paul Goodwin (ITV)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Who is DCI Paul Goodwin?<\/strong> Very much a modern policeman, Goodwin is quiet, but ambitious. He can steady any ship he\u2019s asked to lead. He has a complex relationship with Ridley who saw right through his charming persona. When Ridley is brought back into the force as a consultant, the pair are forced to bury any ill feelings they had for each other and work together for the good of the case.<\/p>\n

Who is Terence Maynard?<\/strong> Just a couple of weeks ago, Maynard starred in Sherwood as DS Cleaver. The actor has had a varied range of roles, including Artorius in The Witcher, Tony Stewart in Coronation Street and Portis in Spy.<\/p>\n

George Bukhari plays DC Darren Lakhan<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ridley: George Bukhari as DC Darren Lakhan<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Who is DC Darren Lakhan?<\/strong> DC Lakhan had two years in the army before joining the police force. He was a troubled teenager but found discipline within the force. He\u2019s determined and ambitious, so he\u2019ll always go the extra mile for a case.<\/p>\n

Who is George Bukhari?<\/strong> Bukhari starred as Sammy Farr on Coronation Street, playing the character on and off for a couple of years. He also appeared in Russell T Davies\u2019 Years and Years, where he played Jonjo Aleef, but it\u2019s Ordinary Lies he\u2019s perhaps best known for, where he played Jason.<\/p>\n

Georgie Glen plays Dr Wendy Newstone<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ridley: Georgie Glen as Wendy Newstone (ITV)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Who is Dr Wendy Newstone?<\/strong> Newstone is the dependable chief forensics officer and police pathologist in Ridley. She has a first-class brain and a morbid fascination with her job, meaning she\u2019s one of the best Crime Scene Investigators in the country.<\/p>\n

Who is Georgie Glen?<\/strong> Scottish actress, Glen, most notably played Miss Millicent Higgins in Call the Midwife, but she\u2019s probably best-known for playing Audrey McFall in Waterloo Road. The accomplished actress has also starred in Silent Witness, The Crown and The Larkins.<\/p>\n

Julie Graham plays Annie Marling<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ridley: Julie Graham as Annie Marling (ITV)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Who is Annie Marling?<\/strong> Marling is a great friend and support to Ridley, and is really the only person he opens up to as she was best friends with his wife, Kate, and godmother to his daughter, Ella. She is the owner of Marling\u2019s jazz club where Ridley often slips in for a drink and a tinkle on the piano.<\/p>\n

Who is Julie Graham?<\/strong> In 2020, Graham starred as Ravio in Doctor Who, but that wasn\u2019t her only foray into the Whoniverse as she played Ruby White in The Sarah Jane Adventures, too. She\u2019s also been in Shetland as Rhona Kelly, Benidorm as Sheron Dawson and The Bletchley Circle as Jean.<\/p>\n

Aidan McArdle plays Michael Flannery<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ridley: Aidan McArdle as Michael Flannery (ITV)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Who is Michael Flannery?<\/strong> Criminal Flannery is serving a 15-year sentence for the death of Kate and Ella Ridley. He used his forgettable face and persona to sneak around Allerton Bridge, and was largely unnoticed in life until the night of the fire.<\/p>\n

Who is Aidan McArdle?<\/strong> Just this year, McArdle starred as Alistair in the Channel 5 series, The Holiday. He also appeared in The Trial of Christine Keeler, where he played Roger Hollis. McArdle also starred in the likes of Clean Break, Mr Selfridge and The Fall.<\/p>\n

Bhavna Limbachia plays Geri Farman-Hoyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Who is Geri Farman-Hoyle?<\/strong> Unlike her wife, Geri is laid-back and warm, but she\u2019s certainly not a pushover, and fights for what\u2019s right.<\/p>\n

Who is Bhavna Limbachia?<\/strong> Limbachia is best known for her role as Rana Habeeb in Coronation Street, where she was part of fan-favourite ship, Kana. Before she joined in 2016, she played Alia Khan in comedy Citizen Khan.<\/p>\n

Tareq Al-Jeddal plays Jack Farman-Hoyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Who is Jack Farman Hoyle?<\/strong> Jack is Geri and Carol\u2019s son. He might be a typical teenager, but he had a special bond with Ridley.<\/p>\n

Who is Tareq Al-Jeddal?<\/strong> This is Al-Jeddal\u2019s first major TV role.<\/p>\n

Who guest stars in Ridley episode 1?<\/strong><\/h2>\n