Dalgliesh cast list: Who plays who in series 3 of the Bertie Carvel Channel 5 detective drama

By Helen Fear | Mon Nov 25 2024

Dalgliesh returns to Channel 5 in series 3 of the popular drama, with Bertie Carvel leading the cast as the fictional detective.

Based on the bestselling books by crime writer PD James, the series follows DCI Adam Dalgliesh's crime-fighting career from 1970s England to the present day.

Actor Bertie Carvel reprises his role as the poetic sleuth - now Commander no less - alongside his sidekick DS Daniel Tarrant. They find themselves confronted with some very tricky cases to solve this time around.

So who plays who in the cast of series 3 of Dalgliesh on Channel 5? Here's everything you need to know...

Actor Bertie Carvel as Commander Adam Dalgliesh in series 3 of the drama (Credit: Channel 5)

Bertie Carvel portrays Commander Adam Dalgliesh

Set in 1979, series 3 of Dalgliesh sees Commander Adam Dalgliesh take on three "highly-charged and highly sensitive cases in different parts of the country". Series 3 episodes 1 and 2 are adapted from the PD James novel Death in Holy Orders.

Of course, actor Bertie Carvel stars as Commander Adam Dalgliesh in the Channel 5 detective drama.

The 47-year-old is perhaps best known for playing cheating husband Simon Foster opposite Suranne Jones in Doctor Foster. He played the role in two series from 2015 to 2017. Fans are still hoping the BBC series will return for a third run somed series will return for a third run someday.ay.

London-born Bertie first appeared on our screens in 2004, when he was nearly 30. That was the year he played George Ellis in the TV movie Hawking opposite Benedict Cumberbatch.

He went on to play Lieutenant Roddy Frost in Bombshell, Ferdinand Ries in Beethoven, Ashwell in The Crimson Petal and the White, and Alexander Wentworth in Hidden.

In 2014, he starred as Finn Kirkwood in the police drama Babylon. A year later, he portrayed Jonathan Strange in the brilliant historical drama Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

Other notable roles include Frank Temple in the Channel 4 thriller Baghdad Central, Zachariah Osborne in The Pale Horse, and creepy Bob in the ITV thriller The Sister. He's also popped up in Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders, and Sherlock.

Bertie has also played two different roles in the Netflix series The Crown. In 2017, he starred as journalist Robin Day. Five years later, in 2022, he starred as politician Tony Blair.

His film roles include Banquo in The Tragedy of Macbeth, and Bamatabois in Les Misérables.

Alistair Brammer as Dalgliesh's sidekick DS Daniel Tarrant (Credit: Channel 5)

Dalgliesh series 3 cast list: Who plays DS Daniel Tarrant?

Alistair Brammer portrays Dalgliesh's sidekick DS Daniel Tarrant in series 3 of the detective drama. He first played the role in 2023's series 2. In the first series of the TV show, Adam Dalgliesh's sidekick was DS Charles Masterson, played by Jeremy Irvine.

Actor Alistair, 36, is probably best known for his career in musical theatre. He's famous for playing Jean Prouvaire in both the 2010 special Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary Concert, and the 2012 musical film Les Misérables. Brammer performed as Chris in the Miss Saigon 25th anniversary performance.

He's also performed in Wicked, Hair, Taboo, War Horse, and Miss Saigon. In 2008, while a student at Exeter College, he competed in the TV series Any Dream Will Do. He made it to the final 20 contestants. Despite not being selected to be on the show, judge Bill Kenwright asked him to appear in the 2008–2009 UK tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

In 2015, he made his first appearance as receptionist Jack Diamond in Casualty, a role he played until 2016. Other notable roles include Mark Antony in Ancient Empires, Gold Cloak in House of the Dragon, and Max Brant in Valhalla Project.

Actress Phoebe Nicholls stars as Agatha Betteron in the returning drama (Credit: Channel 5)

Phoebe Nicholls plays Agatha Betteron

Actress Phoebe Nicholls, 67, portrays Agatha Betteron in the returning drama. She's been on our screens ever since 1964, when she played Elizabeth in the Anne Bancroft film The Pumpkin Eater. She was just seven when she appeared in the film.

London-born Phoebe continued to work as a child star in films such as Our Mother's House, Women in Love, and Alternative 3. In 1980, she portrayed Merrick's mother in The Elephant Man. She was only 23 at the time!

A year later, Phoebe starred as Cordelia Flyte in the TV series Brideshead Revisited. Between 2012 and 2014, she starred in another period drama - this time playing Susan MacClare, Marchioness of Flintshire, in Downton Abbey.

Other notable roles include Doctor Allerdyce in Fortitude, Mrs Wintertowne in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (opposite Dalgliesh co-star Bertie Carvel), and Tiggy in Chloe.

More recently, she played Anne in the Netflix drama Eric, in which Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed a dad whose son was abducted.

Anton Lesser plays John Betteron in Dalgliesh series 3 (Credit: Channel 5)

Dalgliesh series 3 cast list: Anton Lesser plays John Betteron

Anton Lesser, 72, plays John Betteron in Dalgliesh series 3. He is simply brilliant in everything he does, most famously the slippery scientist Qyburn in Game of Thrones, and Reginald Bright in Endeavour.

The Birmingham-born actor has been on our screens for more than four decades, having made his first TV appearance as Philip Wakem in the 1979 TV series The Mill on the Floss.

He went on to play Orestes in Oresteia, Wilhelm Fliess in Freud, Willie Price in Anna of the Five Towns, and Levi in Strauss Dynasty.

Among a multitude of TV and films roles, perhaps the most famous are Charles Dickens in the TV mini-series Dickens, Mr. Merdle in Little Dorrit, Gideon in Primeval, and Clarence Fendley in the outstanding Abi Morgan drama The Hour.

Between 2015 and 2016, he starred as Fagin in Dickensian, and went on to play Harold MacMillan in the Netflix drama The Crown. More recently, he starred as Henry Singleton in 1899, Major Partagaz in Andor, Vernon Marley in Better, and Thomas More in Wolf Hall.

He's been in dozens of films, including war movie Benediction, thriller The Courier, book adaptation On Chesil Beach, and adventure Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Former Casualty star Claire Goose stars as Dr Emma Lavenham (Credit: Channel 5)

Claire Goose stars as Dr Emma Lavenham

Actress Claire Goose, 49, stars as Dr Emma Lavenham in the cast of Dalgliesh on Channel 5.

The Edinburgh-born TV star is probably best known for playing Tina Seabrook in Casualty, a role she played from 1997 to 2000.

Between 2000 and 2007, Claire starred as DC Amelia Silver in the Trevor Eve crime drama Waking the Dead. She then portrayed Inspector (and later Sergeant) Rachel Weston in The Bill, from 2008 to 2009.

Other notable roles include Kim in Mount Pleasant, Ellie Greaves in Unforgotten, Jane Kennedy in The Coroner, and dreaded ex-wife Jacqui Fischer in The Bay.

More recently, she's starred as Steph in young adult drama series Silverpoint, and Jessica Haynes in Channel 5 thriller The Cuckoo.

Richard Lintern portrays Father Sebastian in the cast of Dalgliesh (Credit: Channel 5)

Dalgliesh series 3 cast list: Richard Lintern portrays Father Sebastian

Actor Richard Lintern, 62, stars as Father Sebastian in the cast of Dalgliesh on Channel 5. Of course, Silent Witness fans will know him as the beloved Dr Thomas Chamberlain, a role he played from 2014 to 2020.

Like Anton Lesser and Phoebe Nicholls, Taunton-born Richard Lintern is an old-timer. He first appeared on TV in 1988 when he played a Prince in The Storyteller.

Readers of a certain age may remember him as Daniel Page in the period drama The House of Eliott, before we won the role as James Bromwich in space drama Jupiter Moon.

In 2004, Richard played Ben Norton in the police drama Heartbeat. After playing DCS Richard Patterson in the 2011 drama The Shadow Line, he went on to play Colonel Lassard in Spies of Warsaw.

More recently, he's played Edwin Holmgren in Young Wallander, and Edward Finnigan in Roslund & Hellström: Cell 8. He's also popped up in episodes of The Reckoning, Death in Paradise, and Professor T.

Cleaning Up's Lloyd Owen plays George Gregory in Dalgliesh (Credit: Channel 5)

Lloyd Owen stars as George Gregory

London-born actor Lloyd Owen, 58, plays George Gregory in the cast of Dalgliesh on Channel 5.

Like most of his Dalgliesh co-stars, he's been on our screens for decades, and is perhaps most famous for playing Paul Bowman in Scottish drama Monarch of the Glen.

He's also known for portraying Professor Henry Jones, Sr. in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, a role he played from 1992 to 1993.

Other notable roles include Darren Matthews in All in the Game, Adam in Get Real, James in Hearts and Bones, and Professor Jon Ford in The Innocence Project.

In 2015, he starred as the US President in You, Me and the Apocalypse, before going on to play Swanny in Sheridan Smith drama Cleaning Up, and Captain Elendil in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Lloyd has also been in tonnes of films, including Miss Potter, Apollo 18, Free Ride, and The Republic of Love.

Fool Me Once's Charlie Cain stars as Raphael Arbuthnot (Credit: Channel 5)

Who else stars in the cast of Dalgliesh series 3 on Channel 5?

Charlie Cain stars as Raphael Arbuthnot in the cast of Dalgliesh on C5 and My5. He's a relative newcomer and, apart from a short film in 2023, has only ever appeared as Louis in the Netflix thriller Fool Me Once.

Andrew Havill stars as ADN Matthew Crampton. Andrew is best known for playing Douglas Broome in The Nevers, Robert Fellowes in The Crown, and Viscount Norton in Industry.

Andor's Michael Jenn portrays Father Peregrine.

Trigger Point's Lloyd James plays Eric Surtees.

Downton Abbey's Phoebe Sparrow stars as Karen Surtees.

Shetland actor Benjamin Cawley is Dr Mark Ayling.

Dalgliesh series 3 episodes 1 and 2 air at 9pm on Thursday, December 5, and Friday, December 6, 2024 respectively.

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