Monday, April 28, 2025

Lux

Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu
give very animated performances
in Lux
One episode (Lux)

First broadcast: Apr 19 2025
Audience for story: 1.58m (overnight)

REGULAR CAST

Ncuti Gatwa (The Doctor) Born Oct 15 1992 Click here for Ncuti Gatwa's entry on The Giggle

Varada Sethu (Belinda Chandra) Born May 12 1992 Click here for Varada Sethu's entry on Boom

GUEST CAST

Samir Arrian (Hassan Chowdry)
Career highlights
Other credits include Brassic (2022) and Unforgotten (2025).

Bronte Barbe (Lizzie Abel) Born 1991
Career highlights
Bronte debuted in the 2014 short film 7.2, followed by roles in Call the Midwife (2018) and Years and Years (2019).
Facts
In 2010, Bronte auditioned for the role of Dorothy in the TV talent show Over the Rainbow, but the fact she didn't win didn't hold her back, and in 2017 she took on the role of singer-songwriter Carole King in the stage musical Beautiful.

Lewis Cornay (Logan Cheever) Born 1996
Career highlights
Lewis's other work includes John & Jen (2021) and A Bear Remembers (2025).

Alan Cumming (Voice of Mr Ring-a-Ding) Born Jan 27 1965
Doctor Who credits
Played: King James I in The Witchfinders (2018)
Played: Voice of Mr Ring-a-Ding in Lux (2025)
Career highlights
Hugely prolific Scotsman Alan made his screen debut in Travelling Man (1984), followed by roles in Taggart (1986), Shadow of the Stone (1987), High Road (1988), Bernard and the Genie (1991), Micky Love (1993), Cabaret (1993), The High Life (1994-95), Circle of Friends (1995), GoldenEye (1995), Emma (1996), Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Spice World (1997), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000), 3rd Rock from the Sun (2000), Get Carter (2000), Spy Kids (2001), Sex and the City (2001), Spy Kids 2 (2002), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), Frasier (2003), X-Men 2 (2003), Spy Kids 3 (2003), Son of the Mask (2005), The L Word (2006), Tin Man (2007), Boogie Woogie (2009), Burlesque (2010), Maladies (2012), After Louie (2017), Queers (2017), Instinct (2018-19), Helpsters (2019), Briarpatch (2020), Prodigal Son (2021), Solar (2022) and The Good Fight (2022). Alan also played Eli Gold in 121 episodes of The Good Wife (2010-16). He is a prolific voice actor too, having given his vocal talents to Black Beauty (1994), God, the Devil and Bob (2000), Courage the Cowardly Dog (2002), Shoebox Zoo (2004), Robot Chicken (2006/08), Rick & Steve, the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World (2007-09), The Smurfs (2011-13), Dora the Explorer (2014), Michael Jackson's Halloween (2017), Show Dogs (2018) and The Prince (2021). Alan also appeared in the 1993 drama The Airzone Solution, a video production co-starring Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy.
Awards
1991: Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance of the Year (Accidental Death of an Anarchist)
1992: British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Newcomer (Bernard and the Genie)
1998: Tony Award for Best Leading Actor (Musical) (Cabaret)
2009: Officer of the order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the arts and civil rights
2018: BAFTA Scotland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television
Facts
Between 1985-93, Alan was married to fellow actor Hilary Lyon; in 2007 he married Hollywood storyboard artist Grant Shaffer. Alan has said in interview that he was approached about the role of the Ninth Doctor (but not offered it) in 2004. He became a US citizen in 2008. Alan has launched two of his own fragrances, called Cumming and Second Cumming. He can also be seen in the music video for 30 Seconds to Mars' City of Angels (2013). Alan has also written a book (Tommy's Tale, 2002), an autobiography (Not My Father's Son, 2014) and two albums (I Bought a Blue Car Today, 2009, and Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, 2016). Here's his Twitter feed.

Anita Dobson (Mrs Flood) Born Apr 29 1949 Click here for Anita Dobson's entry on The Church on Ruby Road

Cassius Hackforth (Tommy Lee) Born Aug 16 2001
Career highlights
Cassius has also appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) and Casualty (2025).
Facts
Cassius was born in Massachusetts, USA, when his father was working in the States, but moved to North Wales when he was three years old, so holds dual citizenship.

Jane Hancock (Helen Pye) Born Apr 27 1988
Career highlights
Canadian Jane's earliest role was playing six-year-old Mary Jean in The War Between Us in 1995, after which she won roles in Mile Zero (2005-06), Fringe (2012), The True Heroines (2013), Mythos (2015), The Flash (2015), Motive (2016), Van Helsing (2016), Beaches (2017), Altered Carbon (2018) and The Age of Adulting (2018).

Steph Lacey (Robyn Gossage)
Career highlights
Steph's other credits include Hollyoaks (2019), Stay Close (2021), Bridgerton (2022), Doctors (2022), Maryland (2023) and Red Eye (2024). She also wrote the 2022 short film We Care and an episode of TV series Phoenix Rise (2023).
Career
Steph's CV states she is a disabled neuro-diverse woman who spent some time homeless.

William Meredith (Policeman) Born Nov 21 1973
Doctor Who credits
Played: Kevin in Arachnids in the UK (2018)
Played: Policeman in Lux (2025)
Career highlights
American William made his screen debut in 2001's Band of Brothers, followed by roles in Ultimate Force (2006), 28 Weeks Later (2007), True Heroes (2008), Mirrors (2008), Green Zone (2010), Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014), 50 Ways to Kill Your Lover (2016), SS-GB (2017), Outlander (2017), A Killer Next Door (2020), Kingdom of the Dinosaurs (2022), India a Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) and The Mitchin Murders (2024).
Facts
William spent four years in the US Army before becoming an actor.

Millie O'Connell (Voice of Sunshine Sally) Born Jan 18 1997
Career highlights
Millie started out on the stage, performing in musical theatre productions such as 42nd Street (2016) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (2018) before securing the role that got her noticed, that of Anne Boleyn in the West End production of SIX (2018-19). Millie also performs as part of the pop group SVN alongside other former stars of the musical SIX.

Linus Roache (Reginald Pye) Born Feb 1 1964
Career highlights
Linus's earliest credit was as a boy in The Onedin Line (1976), after which he was cast in No Surrender (1985), A Sort of Innocence (1987), Saracen (1989), Priest (1994), Seaforth (1994), The Wings of the Dove (1997), Siam Sunset (1999), Best (2000), Hart's War (2002), The Gathering Storm (2002), RFK (2002), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), Batman Begins (2005, as Thomas Wayne), The Ten Commandments (2006), Kidnapped (2006-07), The Miraculous Year (2011), Titanic (2012), The Blacklist (2014), Bancroft (2017), Summer of Rockets (2019), The Recruit (2022), Fellow Travelers (2023) and Billy the Kid (2022-24). Between 2008-10 he appeared in 63 episodes of Law & Order as Michael Cutter, briefly moving over to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2011-12). He also played young Peter Barlow, the son of his father William's character Ken Barlow, in soap Coronation Street between 1973-75, and between 2014-17 played King Ecbert in 33 episodes of Vikings. Another high profile role was as David Wellington in Homeland (2017-20).
Facts
Linus is the son of Coronation Street acting legend William Roache (aka Ken Barlow) and actor Anna Cropper. His wife is actor Rosalind Bennett, while he also has an acting half-brother, James Roache. Linus can be seen in the music video for the 1992 single Set Your Loving Free by Lisa Stansfield.

Ian Shaw (Newsreader) Born Dec 18 1969
Career highlights
Debuted in Casualty (1993), followed by Century (1993), Soldier Soldier (1994), Moondance (1994), Ghosts (1995), Sharpe (1995), Medics (1995), Silent Witness (1996), Wuthering Heights (1998), Ultimate Force (2002), EastEnders (2002), Cambridge Spies (2003), The Queen (2009), Johnny English Reborn (2011) and Wynonna Earp (2018).
Facts
Ian's parents are actors Robert Shaw and Mary Ure, while his nephew is Ferdia Shaw (aka Artemis Fowl). His cousin is the children's author Tanya Landman.

Ryan Speakman (Husband)
Career highlights
Ryan's other credits include The Six (2011), Bull (2016) and The Detour (2017).

Lucy Thackeray (Renee Lowenstein) Born 1992
Career highlights
Lucy debuted in How TV Ruined Your Life (2011), followed by Doctors (2015), New Tricks (2015), The Five (2016), Hatton Garden (2019), Surge (2020), Moon Knight (2022), Black Ops (2023), Top Boy (2023) and Call the Midwife (2024).

CREW

Russell T Davies (writer) Born Apr 27 1963 Click here for Russell T Davies' entry on Rose

Amanda Brotchie (director)
Doctor Who credits
Directed: Lux (2025), The Well (2025)
Career highlights
Amanda's first directorial credit was the short film Headlock (1996), after which she worked on Neighbours (2000), Lowdown (2010-12), This is Littleton (2014), Girlboss (2017), Picnic at Hanging Rock (2018), Mr Black (2019), Squinters (2018-19), How to Stay Married (2020) and Renegade Nell (2024). She has also written for many of these productions, and acted as producer on Lowdown, This is Littleton and Total Agony (2012-15).
Facts
Amanda is married to Australian actor and writer Adam Zwar.

The Robot Revolution

Miss Belinda Chandra is taken
to Missbelindachandra by a 
revolutionary robot
One episode (The Robot Revolution)

First broadcast: Apr 12 2025
Audience for story: 3.57m

REGULAR CAST

Ncuti Gatwa (The Doctor) Born Oct 15 1992 Click here for Ncuti Gatwa's entry on The Giggle

Varada Sethu (Belinda Chandra) Born May 12 1992 Click here for Varada Sethu's entry on Boom

GUEST CAST

Nicholas Briggs (Voice of the Robots) Born Sep 29 1961 Click here for Nicholas Briggs' entry on Rose

Anita Dobson (Mrs Flood) Born Apr 29 1949 Click here for Anita Dobson's entry on The Church on Ruby Road

Thalia Dudek (Kirby Blake)
Career highlights
Thalia's screen debut came in 2016's The Remnant, followed by the short I Wish I Had a River (2021) and Better Man (2024).
Facts
Thalia is one of the founders of the Three Fates Theatre Company. They identify as Assigned Female At Birth non-binary, and straight.

Lucas Edwards (Robot 4)
Career highlights
Lucas's other work includes 2022 short The Youth, It's My Shout (2024) and Rob1n (2025).

William Ellis (Prime Minister)
Career highlights
William's CV began with The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006), followed by roles in Hotel Babylon (2009), Parade's End (2012), Great Expectations (2012), Queen of the Desert (2015), Father Brown (2016), The Crown (2019) and, most significantly, he played villainous teacher Theo Hawthorne in 48 episodes of soap EastEnders (2023).
Facts
William is a keen open water swimmer, representing Great Britain at Masters level, and also produces a podcast on the subject.

Jonny Green (Alan Budd) Born May 9 1996
Career highlights
Jonny's screen debut came in It's My Shout: Short Films for Wales (2016), followed by Doctors (2018), White Lines (2020), It's a Sin (2021), Strike (2022), Count Abdulla (2023) and Riot Women (2025).

Nadine Higgin (Shago) Born 1986
Career highlights
Nadine's other work includes Military Wives (2019), Doctors (2022) and Delivery Run (2024).

Caleb Hughes (Scoley)
Career highlights
Caleb's earliest screen credit was on Outlander (2020), followed by Living Proof (2021, a short film he also wrote and directed) and Nightsleeper (2024).

Jeffin Kunjumon (Stefan Haines) Born Dec 13 1994
Career highlights
Indian-born Jeffin debuted in Liverpool Narcos (2021), then The Family Man (2021), The Little Mermaid (2023) and Doghouse (2023).
Facts
In 2021 Jeffin said his life's dream was to become the first South Indian actor to win an Oscar.

Stephen Love (Robot 1)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Wrarth Warrior in The Star Beast (2023)
Played: Robot 1 in The Robot Revolution (2025)
Career highlights
Creature performer Stephen's other work includes The Great (2020), Behind Her Eyes (2021), The Crown (2022), The Peripheral (2022) and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).
Facts
Stephen is also a website and brand designer.

Evelyn Miller (Sasha 55)
Career highlights
Evelyn's other work includes Holby City (2013), Post Coital (2016), Doctors (2020), Flowers in the Attic: The Origin (2022), Foundation (2023), The Lovers (2023) and Gangs of London (2025).

Belinda Owusu (Receptionist) Born Apr 19 1989
Career highlights
Belinda's breakthrough role was playing Libby Fox in more than 340 episodes of soap EastEnders between 2006-17, after which she won the role of Nicky McKendrick in more than 130 episodes of Holby City between 2017-22. Other credits include Father Brown (2024), Only Child (2024) and Trigger Point (2024).
Facts
In 2016, Belinda's younger brother Ziggy was stabbed to death in Redbridge, London, hours after celebrating his 19th birthday.

Max Parker (Manny) Born Feb 7 1992
Career highlights
Debuted in My BFF (2016), then Casualty (2018-19), World on Fire (2019), COBRA (2020), Vampire Academy (2022), Blood, Sex & Royalty (2022) and Strictly Confidential (2024), but he will be best recognised as Luke Posner in more than 70 episodes of soap Emmerdale (2019-21).
Facts
Max came out in an interview with Attitude magazine in 2020, revealing he was dating his Emmerdale co-star Kris Mochrie, who he got engaged to in 2022.

Charles Sandford (Robot 3)
Career highlights
Charles's other work includes The Hippopotamus (2017), The Stuarts: A Bloody Reign (2018) and Terror (2023).

Tom Storey (Tombo)
Career highlights
Tom's only other credit to date is the 2022 short Indigo, but he has also appeared on the stage, including the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play in 2022-23, in which he played Yann Fredericks.

Robert Strange (Robot 2) Born 1989
Doctor Who credits
Played: Wrarth Warrior [Sergeant Zogroth] in The Star Beast (2023, uncredited)
Played: Bogeyman in Space Babies (2024)
Played: Robot 2 in The Robot Revolution (2025)
Career highlights
6f5 5in tall Robert (who also performs under his birth surname of Nairne (Strange is his mother's maiden name)) is a busy creature performer and puppeteer whose earliest credit was in 2014's The Nightmare of Nevermoor, followed by Penny Dreadful (2014), Howl (2015), Londongrad (2015), Red Dwarf (2016), The Crown (2016), Zapped (2017), Survive the Night (2019), Boys from County Hell (2020), The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022), The Winter King (2023) and The Wheel of Time (2025). He has performed in each of the five Star Wars films released between 2015-19, including Professor Allium in The Force Awakens and Kullbee Sperado in Rogue One.

CREW

Russell T Davies (writer) Born Apr 27 1963 Click here for Russell T Davies' entry on Rose

Peter Hoar (director)
Doctor Who credits
Directed: A Good Man Goes to War (2011), The Robot Revolution (2025), Lucky Day (2025)
Career highlights
Peter's first directorial work was on Hollyoaks in 2002, after which he worked on Grange Hill (2004-05), Dream Team (2006), Wire in the Blood (2006-08), Spooks (2008), Mistresses (2008-09), Breaking the Mould (2009), Vera (2011-12), Shetland (2013), The Last Kingdom (2015-17), Da Vinci's Demons (2014-15), Daredevil (2016), Iron Fist (2017), The Defenders (2017), Altered Carbon (2018), The Umbrella Academy (2019), It's a Sin (2021), Cipher (2022), Nolly (2023) and The Last of Us (2023-25). He has also been producer on series such as Da Vinci's Demons, The Last Kingdom, The Umbrella Academy and It's a Sin. However, he started out as a location manager on Dressing for Breakfast (1998), The Wedding Tackle (2000) and Heartlands (2002).
Awards
2021: Royal Television Society Craft and Design Award for Best Director - Drama (It's a Sin)
2022: BAFTA TV Award for Best Director, Fiction (It's a Sin)
2024: BAFTA TV Award for Best Director, Fiction (The Last of Us)
2024: Directors' Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series (The Last of Us)
2024: Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form (The Last of Us)