Idris Elba is swapping the grit and gore of Luther for sunny sitcom land with his new Netflix comedy, Turn Up Charlie.

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The show, co-created by the actor and Gary Reich, stars Elba as a washed-up DJ who finds himself employed as a “manny” for the daughter of his movie star best friend.

Find out who’s in the cast alongside Elba, below…

Idris Elba as Charlie

Idris Elba plays Charlie
Idris Elba plays Charlie

Who is Charlie? A down-on-his-luck 90s pop star and DJ who, strapped for cash, ends up becoming a “manny”. Charlie is a playboy past his prime, he lives with his auntie and he is lying to his parents about his success – or lack thereof.

What else has Idris Elba starred in? Elba is best known for playing DCI John Luther in the BBC1 thriller, and drug kingpin Stringer in US series The Wire. He has also starred in the TV show Guerrilla and in the movies Molly’s Game and The Mountain Between Us, as well as playing Heimdall in Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War. He is rumoured to be the next James Bond and has a role in the forthcoming Suicide Squad movie. He also wrote and starred in In the Long Run.

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Piper Perabo as Sara

Piper Perabo plays Sara
Piper Perabo plays Sara

Who is Sara? An internationally renowned DJ married to Charlie’s childhood friend David. She has the contacts Charlie needs to get back on top.

What else has Piper Perabo starred in? The American actress is best known for playing Violet Sanford in the 2000 film Coyote Ugly and has also starred in the films Imagine Me & You and The Prestige, as well as the Cheaper by the Dozen movies. Perabo also led the casts of the US series Notorious and Covert Affair.

JJ Feild as David

JJ Feild plays David
JJ Feild plays David

Who is David? Charlie’s childhood friend who is making it big as an actor and has just moved back to London from Los Angeles.

What else has JJ Feild starred in? He is known for starring in the films Captain America: The First Avenger, Centurion and Austenland, and has more recently been seen in the US show TURN: Washington’s Spies and Amazon series The Romanoffs.

Frankie Hervey as Gabby

Frankie Hervey plays Gabby
Frankie Hervey plays Gabby

Who is Gabby? David and Sara’s precocious 11-year-old daughter, none of whose nanny’s last longer than a week. She is the reason her family relocated to the UK, in an effort to give her a more grounded and normal childhood.

What else has Frankie Hervey starred in? Turn Up Charlie is the young actress's first on-screen role.

Craig David as… Craig David

Craig David
Craig David

Garage musician Craig David makes a cameo in the series as, well, himself. He rose to fame in the late 90s and early 2000s for his hit tracks Re-Rewind, Fill Me In and 7 Days – which is why Charlie is so keen to impress him when they bump into each other at a music industry party.

Guz Khan as Del

Guz Khan plays Del
Guz Khan plays Del BBC

Who is Del? Charlie’s slovenly best friend who sits on the couch all day.

What else has Guz Khan starred in? Khan is famous for playing Mobeen in the BBC3 series Man Like Mobeen and co-writing the show. He has also appeared in the comedies Curfew, Zapped and Borderline. He also has a part in the forthcoming TV adaptation of Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Angela Griffin as Astrid

Angela Griffin plays Astrid
Angela Griffin plays Astrid

Who is Astrid? Sara’s manager who loves reckless partying and indulges in a bit of flirtation with Charlie.

What else has Angela Griffin starred in? You might recognise Griffin from the UK series Ordinary Lies, Brief Encounters, Inspector Lewis or Waterloo Road. She also played Jasmine Hopkins in Holby City and Fiona Middleton in Coronation Street.

Jocelyn Jee Esien as Auntie Lydia

Turn Up Charlie (Netflix)
Jocelyn Jee Esien plays Auntie Lydia

Who is Auntie Lydia? Charlie’s old-school auntie who he lives with and who has no tolerance for Gabby’s attitude.

What else has Jocelyn Jee Esien starred in? Esien played Lucy in Upstart Crow and has also played Mel Watson in Holby City, Daphne in Big School and Carla Langer in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

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Turn Up Charlie lands on Netflix on Friday 15th March 2o19

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