Character Biogs

18 December 2017

Miriam Grayson, played by Sarah Lancashire

Miriam is provocative, eccentric, funny, loyal, and extremely dedicated to her job. A Bristol based social worker in her early fifties, Miriam has devoted her entire life to the many children in her care. She is seen by some as a maverick and is sometimes hard to manage as she chooses to do things her own way but she cares very deeply for the children in her care and always believes that she is doing the best thing by them.

 

Detective Inspector Vanessa Mercer played by Wunmi Mosaku

DI Mercer, is the police officer leading the investigation into Kiri’s murder. Having grown up in care and joined the police on a diversity scheme, Mercer has been fighting the odds all her life. She is intelligent, focused, humane and tries to be fair in her dealings with people, but is also under immense pressure to find Kiri’s killer.

Alice Warner played by Lia Williams

Alice is Kiri’s loving foster mother. She’s fiercely intelligent and contradictory but she has an edge to her. In a stale marriage to Jim, Alice is adept at wearing a mask which is useful in her press campaign to find justice for Kiri. Her relationship with her natural son, Simon is loving but a little complicated.

 

Jim Warner played by Steven Mackintosh

Jim is seems much more amiable guy than his wife. He works hard and makes good money. He does what’s required of him and not much more in respect of fatherhood, husband hood, every hood.

 

Simon Warner played by Finn Bennett

15 year old Si, is Alice and Jim’s birth son. Grossly unpopular at a school, he’s a bit of a loner, and frustrated by the lies of the adult world and an intelligence he can’t quite marshal yet. Si hides the depth of his emotions behind a hard exterior.

 

Kiri Akindele played by Felicia Mukasa

9 year old Kiri is Alice and Jim’s foster daughter. She’s smart, optimistic and funny. She thinks the best of people and expects people to think the best of her. She’s had the toughest of beginnings in life, and knows adults have let her down before, which fuels an independent spirit.

 

Tobi Akindele played by Lucian Msamati

Tobi is in his fifties and Kiri’s birth grandfather. Nigerian-born he sees himself as an honourable man who has tried to live a good life, but he’s also disappointed with what he’s become, still wishing the world would be simpler, better. He’s haunted by his own failures to raise his son, Nate, after his first wife died. Tobi’s answer to those failures was to run away but the disappearance of Kiri soon leads him to confront them.

 

Nathaniel Akindele played by Paapa Essiedu

Nate is Kiri’s birth father and in his late 20s. An ex-con and ex-addict he is a damaged man trying to climb back up the ladder of life. Nate knows he’s made mistakes but believes he can make a better fist of living if given the chance.

 

Rochelle Akindele played by Andi Oshu

Rochelle is in her early 40’s and Tobi’s second wife. She’s an optimist, a poker and a prodder who wants to repair Tobi’s broken relationship with Nate.

 

Julie Burnett played by Claire Rushbrook

Julie is Miriam’s boss and they’ve been colleagues and friends for years. Julie knows the system, believes in the system, and feels certain the system protects children. She works hard but finds managing Miriam, who chooses to do things her own way, sometimes challenging.

 

Lucy Maxwell played by Cara Theobold

Lucy is a newly-qualified social worker in her twenties. She’s a determined do-gooder and though she appears out of her depth she will not give up. She relies on Miriam way too much and knows it but she respects her and looks up to her.

 

Celia Grayson played by Sue Johnston

Celia is Miriam’s elderly, caustic mother. She hasn’t found ageing easy, and ageing hasn’t found her easy either. Celia doesn’t trust or seemingly like anyone.