The Bay series 5: Who plays who in the cast of ITV detective drama, including newcomers Olwen May and Suzanne Packer
By Helen Fear | Fri Feb 28 2025The Bay series 5 is finally arriving on ITV after a hefty wait of two years, but the delay has been softened slightly thanks to the brilliant cast of faces old and new.
The new series sees Marsha Thomason reprise her role as DS Jenn Townsend in the ITV detective drama, alongside a posse of new faces from the world of TV.
Here's everything you need to know about the cast of The Bay series 5, including who plays who, who's back and who's missing!
The Bay series 5 cast: Marsha Thompson plays DS Jenn Townsend
The fifth series of The Bay sees Marsha Thomason reprise her role as Morecambe MIU's Family Liaison Officer, DS Jenn Townsend, a role she's played since 2022 when Morven Christie quit as DC Lisa Armstrong. The character is returning to work following the death of her father.
Manchester-born actress Marsha, 49, is perhaps best known for playing Naomi Dorrit in the huge HBO hit Lost, and Nessa Holt in Las Vegas.
She's also portrayed Diana Berrigan in White Collar, Katy in Safe House, Dr Isabel Barnes in The Good Doctor, and Nicole Dechamps in NCIS: Los Angeles.
Marsha has found success in the States - where she now lives - but made her name in UK dramas including Burn It, Playing the Field, Where the Heart Is, and Prime Suspect.
More recently, she's appeared as Francine Bridge in Cobra, Sonya Eugene in Grown-ish, and Eve in Magnum P.I.
Daniel Ryan portrays DI Tony Manning
Series regular Daniel Ryan, 57, also returns as DI Tony Manning, who has been in every series of The Bay so far.
He made his name in series such as Lipstick on Your Collar, Peak Practice, Soldier Soldier and Dangerfield, before joining the cast of Trial & Retribution. He portrayed DS Brown in the crime drama from 1997 to 1998.
Culcheth-born Daniel then played another copper - PC Busby - in Harbour Lights in 1999. In 2004, he played Andy Coulson in Steel River Blues, and went on to play Kenny Reed in The Whistleblowers.
He's also starred in Vera, Casualty, Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders, The Reckoning, Candy Cabs and Home Fires.
Other notable roles include DAC Peter Clarke in Litvinenko, Des in Cold Call opposite Sally Lindsay, Ben in Crossfire, and Adam Whitworth in Four Lives.
More recently, Daniel portrayed Derek Jackson in the bonkers ITV drama Passenger.
Erin Shanagher stars as DS Karen Hobson
Actress Erin Shanagher returns as DS Karen Hobson in the cast of ITV drama The Bay. She's played the role since the very first series in 2019.
Before joining the cast of The Bay, Erin popped up in all sorts of TV series including Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Shameless, and Scott and Bailey.
She played Penny in Hit & Miss, Joanne in Residue, Lorraine Kenwood in The Five, and Debbie in The Moorside.
Perhaps her most significant role before The Bay was that of Fiona Baker in the ill-fated Viewpoint. A decent ITV thriller swiftly buried after allegations surfaced about leading man Noel Clarke.
More recently, she's portrayed Penny Lindsey in the Adrian Dunbar drama Ridley, Patty Denmore in Father Brown, and voiced Poppy in The Family Pile.
Andrew Dowbiggin portrays DS James Clarke in the cast of The Bay series 5
Former Corrie actor Andrew Dowbiggin will once again play the proud-to-be-unwoke cop DS James Clarke. He's the misogynist he all love to hate in the Morecambe team.
Actor Andrew appeared on Coronation Street as Toby Chapman between December 2016 and March 2017.
He's been on our TV screens since 2008 when he first appeared as a tennis coach in an episode of Love Soup. In 2014, he starred as Anton Bluth in Emmerdale.
He's also popped up in Doctors, COBRA, Cilla, and Silent Witness. More recently. Andrew portrayed Neil Fraser in an episode of Casualty.
Barry Sloane plays Chris Fischer in The Bay
Former Hollyoaks star Barry Sloane, 44, returns as DS Jenn Townsend's partner, and head teacher of the local school, Chris Fischer.
In 2002, Barry started appearing in Brookside, the soap opera set in his hometown of Liverpool. He played the role of Sean Smith for 65 episodes before he left the show in 2003.
In 2007, Barry joined the cast of Hollyoaks, which remains one of his most famous roles to date. He played the role of Niall Rafferty, a mysterious character turned serial killer, until he left the show in 2009 after 95 episodes.
The Liverpudlian actor has also appeared in Holby City, and in Revenge, an American TV show. Between 2015 and 2017, he appeared in Longmire.
Fans of the Call of Duty franchise may recognise Barry from his role of Captain Price in both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
Other notable roles include Boyo in the TV movie Gotham, DS Jim Dawson in ITVX's Litvinenko, and Jake Reilly in Bluff City Law.
More recently, Barry has played Connor Maguire in The Company You Keep, Eddie Wells in the baffling ITV thriller Passenger - alongside The Bay co-star Daniel Ryan - and The Prodigal in The Sandman.
Olwen May joins the cast of The Bay series 5 as DC Lou McClaren
Yorkshire-born Olwen May, 62, joins the cast of The Bay series 5 as DC Lou McClaren.
She's been on our screens for 35 years, ever since she played Pierrette in the TV movie God on the Rocks in 1990. As a jobbing actress, Olwen has appeared in TV series such as A Touch of Frost, Children's Ward, The Bill, Life on Mars, The Royal, and Silent Witness.
But she's probably best known for playing Mrs Beresford in Happy Valley, between 2014 and 2016.
Olwen is also famous for playing various roles in Coronation Street, including Jessica Lundy, DC Joyce Malone and, most recently, a judge.
Other notable roles include Fiona Goodwin in Emmerdale, Dora in A Very British Scandal, Mrs Duff in Gentleman Jack, Park Receptionist in Slow Horses, and Helen Allenby in Vera.
Suzanne Packer stars as Jen's mum Anne Jackson
Welsh actress Suzanne Packer, 62, joins the cast of The Bay series 5 as Jenn's mum Anne.
She's best known for playing senior staff nurse Tess Bateman in Casualty. Suzanne starred in the long-running BBC show from 2003 until 2015, before making a brief return as the character in 2021.
The actress' first big role was in Brookside back in 1990, where she played Josie - the nightmarish wife of Mick Johnson. You might also recognise her as Delyth Lloyd in Keeping Faith, opposite The Crow Girl star Eve Myles.
Suzanne has starred as Carole in the Sky comedy Stella, DCI Layla Davies in Bang, Miriam Harper in Silent Witness, and Marcia Shaw in Agatha Raisin.
More recently, she played therapist Dr. Samantha Larsson in ITV drama Ridley, Sgt. Ruth Ellis in Tree on a Hill, and Rosa in Channel 5 thriller The Night Caller.
The Bay series 5 cast: Stephen Wight stars as Craig Ashworth
London-born Stephen Wight, 45, joins the cast of The Bay series 5 as Craig Ashworth.
Stephen Wight is no stranger to TV viewers. He's been on our screens for more than 20 years, ever since he popped up as Karl Austen in an episode of Casualty.
He's probably best known for playing Mitch in Threesome, Sam in The Paradise, and Simon in Bluestone 42.
However, more recently, he's perhaps most famous for portraying Gary Campbell in the comedy drama Screw.
Other notable roles include DS Steve Galloway in Silent Witness, DC Clive Grace in Manhunt opposite Martin Clunes, Ben in I May Destroy You, and Skoose in Whites.
Leanne Best portrays Julie Ashworth
Liverpool-born Leanne Best, 45, stars as Julie Ashworth in the cast of The Bay series 5.
The actress is probably best known for playing Tina Reynolds in the popular comedy series Cold Feet, a role she played from 2016 to 2017.
Other huge roles include Frida Rask in Young Wallander, Anna in Channel 4 thriller Close to Me, Helen Brown in Tin Star, and Teresa Fenchurch in Home Fires.
Other well known TV roles include Jane Cobden in Ripper Street, Celia Donnelly in Fortitude, Kate in the mini-series Four Lives, and Anne in the critically acclaimed mini-series Save Me.
You might also recognise her as PC Jackie Brickford from the third series of Line of Duty.
More recently, Leanne has played Jodie in G'wed opposite The Good Ship Murder's Zak Douglas, Phoebe Bournett in ITVX Vicky McClure thriller Insomnia, Georgie in one episode of Ted Lasso, and DI Lindsay in A Town Called Malice.
Neil Maskell plays Steve Dawson
London-born Neil Maskell, 48, joins the cast of The Bay series 5 as Steve Dawson. Allow us a rare moment of bias - he's a brilliant in this as he is in everything!
Neil's been on our screens for more than 30 years, but is probably best known for his more recent roles in the likes of Utopia, Humans, and Hijack.
In Utopia, arguably the role that confirmed he had 'landed', Neil portrayed terrifying hitman Arby who stopped at nothing in his mission to find Jessica Hyde. The show which ran from 2013 to 2014 remains a cult classic, and spawned a far inferior US remake.
Neil went on to play a fictionalised version of himself in the comedy series The Mimic, Michael in Raised by Wolves, and DI Pete Drummond in the AI drama Humans.
In 2018, he went on to portray Dennis Caddy in No Offence, before going on to play Warren in Sheridan Smith drama Cleaning Up, Douglas Evans in Baghdad Central, and Winkle in King Gary.
Other notable roles include Winston Churchill in Peaky Blinders, hijacker Stuart Atterton in Hijack, DI Brent Hyatt in Litvinenko, and Dr Pete Cosmo in Stuck. Neil's been in multiple films, including the lead in Kill List, Bull, and Happy New Year, Colin Burstead.
David Troughton stars as Tommy Campbell in The Bay series 5
London-born David Troughton, 74, portrays Tommy Campbell in the latest season of the detective drama The Bay.
The Archers fans will know his voice... He's portrayed Tony Archer ever since 2014. On TV, he's been acting since the 60s, and his most famous early roles include Lt. Richard Bravington in Wings, Kevin Foreman in Angels, Dr Bob Buzzard in A Very Peculiar Practice, and Det Sgt Terry in Tales of Sherwood Forest.
Other notable roles include Eric Sweety in Bonjour la Classe, Martin in Underworld, Jim Ryan in Undercover Heart, Jack Edwards in Paradise Hearts, and Hurry Fenwick in Casualty 1909.
Between 2011 and 2013, David starred as Stan Astill in The Cafe, opposite Death in Paradise's now departed Ralf Little. He's also known for playing Geoff in Unforgotten series 1, Chief Inspector Benson in Grantchester, and Robert in Doctor Foster spin-off Life.
More recently, he starred as Charles Lapthorn in tennis TV series Fifteen-Love, alongside Agatha Christie's Towards Zero star Ella Lily Hyland.
Ceallach Spellman plays Bradley Dawson
Waterloo Road actor Ceallach Spellman - also known as Cell - joins the cast of The Bay series 5 as Bradley Dawson.
Manchester-born Ceallach, 29, is best known for playing Matthew Williams in Cold Feet, as well as Tom Lewis in Blue Murder, and Harry Fisher in Waterloo Road.
Other notable roles include Joe Broughton in World on Fire, Donal McHugh in Better, Young Marcus in White Lines, and Adam Whitaker in Cucumber.
More recently, he's played Lars in the 2024 drama Cheaters.
Lex Shrapnel plays David Wallasey
London-born actor Lex Shrapnel, 45, joins the cast of The Bay series 5 as David Wallasey.
His first major TV role was playing Jamie Cartwright in the TV reboot of Minder opposite Shane Richie. Although it was not considered a success.
Lex went on to play Stephen Hopewell in four episodes of Casualty, before being cast as Ian Fowkes in Hunted, and the subsequent drama The Assets, where he played Mitch Weaver.
Other notable roles include Dominic Farrell in The Archers, Rinaldo Albizzi in Medici, John Bentley in Prime Suspect 1973, and Lord James Croft in Harlots.
More recently, he's played Alan 'Two Guns' Graves in Sexy Beast, Leonard Lord in A Town Called Malice, Anthony Kurz in Infiniti, and Crassus in Domina.
Who else is in the cast of The Bay series 5?
Georgia Scholes will return as Chris Fischer's daughter Erin. She previously played Brandi-Louise in Hollyoaks.
David Carpenter and Emme Hayes return as Conor and Maddie, Jenn's children. It's easily their most significant roles to date.
Derry Girls' Tara Lynne O'Neill - aka Mary Quinn - also joins the cast as Sinead, DI Tony Manning's new partner. About time Tony! The actress is also known for her roles in Hope Street, and The Fall.
The Bay star Thomas Law quit the crime drama in 2023 to return to EastEnders. The actor left after three years of playing police detective Eddie Martin.
The Bay series 5 full cast list:
Marsha Thomason stars as DS Jenn Townsend.
Daniel Ryan plays DI Tony Manning.
Andrew Dowbiggin portrays DS James Clarke.
Erin Shanagher returns as DS Karen Hobson.
Barry Sloane is Chris Fischer.
Olwen May stars as DC Lou McClaren.
Suzanne Packer plays Jen's mum Anne Jackson.
Stephen Wight stars as Craig Ashworth.
Leanne Best portrays Julie Ashworth.
Neil Maskell plays Steve Dawson.
David Troughton stars as Tommy Campbell.
Lex Shrapnel portrays David Wallasey.
Ceallach Spellman plays Bradley Dawson.
Georgia Scholes is Erin Fischer.
Cameron Young stars as Billy.
David Carpenter plays Conor.
Emme Hayes return as Maddie.
Doctors' Max Ferguson stars as Elliot Hayes.
Tara Lynne O'Neill joins the cast as Sinead.
The Winter King's Steven Elder plays A.C.C. Robert Pearson.
Lucy Chambers - aka Cat Guthrie in Waterloo Road -portrays Poppy Richards.
Devils star Lorna Brown is DCI Josephine Hardy.
The Gentleman's Liran Nathan stars as Dr Osman.
