Meet the cast of Channel 4 drama Deadwater Fell
David Tennant stars in this dark crime thriller set in a sleepy Scottish village
David Tennant's crime drama Deadwater Fell is getting another life on Netflix after originally landing on Channel 4 back in 2020.
The series stars the Doctor Who legend as Dr Tom Kendrick, a small town doctor whose wife Kate (All Creatures Great and Small's Anna Madeley) and their three young children are killed in a blaze at their family home.
When foul play is detected, Tom becomes the prime suspect as the only survivor, prompting their friends Jess (Criminal Record's Cush Jumbo) and Steve (Matthew McNulty) to grow suspicious.
Writer Daisy Coulam (of Grantchester fame) pens a compelling mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end – with the series now available to stream on Netflix, get to know the Deadwater Fell cast and characters below.
Deadwater Fell cast: Who stars in the series alongside David Tennant?
The full cast list is below:
More like this
- David Tennant plays Tom Kendrick
- Cush Jumbo plays Jess Milner
- Anna Madeley plays Kate Kendrick
- Matthew McNulty plays Steve Campbell
- Maureen Beattie plays Carol Kendrick
- Laurie Brett plays DC Gemma Darlington
- Gordon Brown plays DCI Spencer Collins
- Lewis Gribben plays Dylan
- Seline Hizli plays Sasha
- Jamie Michie plays Simon Wells
- Lindy Whiteford plays Ruth McKenzie
- Ron Donachie plays Callum McKenzie
Read on for everything you need to know ab
Cush Jumbo plays Jess Milner
Who is Jess? Jess is Steve's wife and a close friend of Kate, who works with her as a teacher at the local primary school. She is undergoing IVF treatment with Steve – a process which puts pressure on their relationship. As a Londoner, she doesn't feel quite as at home in the sleepy village of Kirkdarroch as others, such as her husband, do.
Producer Emma Kingsman-Lloyd says: "It is very much another world for her that she has become part of, but as the story unfolds, you see that actually she is a bit of an outsider."
What else has Cush Jumbo been in? Since returning from a stint in the US, where she acted in The Good Wife and its spin-off The Good Fight, Jumbo has led the cast of Harlan Coben thriller Stay Close, Britbox mystery The Beast Must Die and Apple TV+ drama Criminal Record. Earlier in her career, she appeared in Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood: Children of Earth, Jo Brand's Getting On and ITV detective series Vera.
David Tennant plays Tom Kendrick
Who is Tom? Due to his work as a GP, Tom is one of the most trusted and well known people in Kirkdarroch. But after his wife and three children are killed in a house fire and he is the sole survivor, residents become suspicious that he may have caused the horrifying incident. Over the course of the series, we gain a deeper insight into his relationship with wife Kate, which appears perfect on the surface but in reality, faces deep-rooted issues.
What else has David Tennant been in? David Tennant is rarely absent from British television screens. He recently returned to the role of The Doctor in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, while other notable projects include Prime Video's Good Omens, Marvel's Jessica Jones, ITV's Broadchurch and Star Wars spin-off Ahsoka, where he voiced scholarly droid Huyang. The celebrated actor also delighted many of us in lockdown with his sitcom Staged, co-starring Michael Sheen.
Anna Madeley plays Kate Kendrick
Who is Kate? Kate is Tom's wife and a teacher at the local primary school. Although her on-screen death takes place early in the series, Kate appears throughout Deadwater Fell's four episodes due to its narrative structure that frequently flashes back to a time before the fire. The series dissects the secret hardships of lives that appear perfect on the surface. For Kate, that includes a history of depression and a strained relationship with husband Tom.
What else has Anna Madeley been in? Madeley is currently enjoying a successful run on Channel 5's All Creatures Great and Small, where she plays Mrs Hall. Additionally, she recently had a supporting role in Marvel's Secret Invasion, where she played a member of the shape-shifting Skrulls. Previously, Madeley starred opposite screen legend Benedict Cumberbatch in the Sky Atlantic drama Patrick Melrose, with other credits including Utopia, Mr Selfridge and The Crown.
Matthew McNulty plays Steve Campbell
Who is Steve? Steve has lived a relatively sheltered life, rarely straying far from Kirkdarroch and as a result, is deeply ingrained in the community. He is a close friend of Tom and Kate, as well as a neighbourhood police officer, which means the tragedy that befalls leaves him incredibly shaken.
Actor Matthew McNulty says: "He's relatable and he wants to do the right thing, but he's fallible as well and he makes mistakes. As an audience, you see the consequences of his mistakes and he doesn't hide from them, he has to address them."
What else has Matthew McNulty been in? McNulty's recent credits include Sky dramas The Rising and Domina as well as Take That musical Greatest Days. Previously, he has played roles in Black Work alongside Sheridan Smith, the BBC adaptation of Jamaica Inn and the first season of anthology series The Terror.
Maureen Beattie plays Carol Kendrick
Who is Carol Kendrick? Carol is Tom's mother who spends a lot of time with their family. She means well, but appears critical of Kate's parenting which is a source of tension.
What else has Maureen Beattie been in? Maureen Beattie's best-known role is that of Sandra Nicholl on the hospital drama Casualty, a character she played for three years starting in 1991. Since then, she's made appearances on The Bill, Doctors, Vera, Midsomer Murders and Lewis, to name a few.
Laurie Brett plays DC Gemma Darlington
Who is DC Gemma Darlington? Gemma Darlington is one of two police detectives called in to investigate the deaths of Kate and her three children. She and her partner have more experience dealing with serious crimes than Steve does, as his beat is usually quiet and relatively uneventful.
What else has Laurie Brett been in? Soap fans know Laurie Brett as former Albert Square resident Jane Beale on EastEnders. Since leaving the show in 2017, Brett has appeared in Alibi crime drama Traces and the dramatic seventh season of Shetland, where she played Alison Woods.
Gordon Brown plays DCI Spencer Collins
Who is DCI Spencer Collins? Spencer Collins is Darlington's partner, who works with her on the investigation into the Kendrick family deaths.
What else has Gordon Brown been in? No, not that Gordon Brown (although he would fit in with the mostly Scottish cast). This Gordon Brown is an actor who has had roles on Jason Momoa's Frontier, Still Game and the Ryan Gosling thriller Only God Forgives. More recent credits include Netflix horror flick Blood Red Sky and Shetland season 7.
Lewis Gribben plays Dylan
Who is Dylan? Dylan is a troubled local teen known to Steve for his run-ins with the law, often caught using alcohol or illegal drugs.
What else has Lewis Gribben been in? Gribben found a breakout role in another Channel 4 production – that being unconventional coming-of-age drama Somewhere Boy, which earned him a win for Best Actor at the BAFTA Scotland television awards. He also appears in Apple TV+ war drama Masters of the Air, amid a large and starry ensemble cast.
Seline Hizli plays Sasha
Who is Sasha? Sasha is an old friend of Kate's who she met on a teacher training course many years ago. The two drifted apart after a big argument, but she returns to Kirkdarroch for her funeral.
What else has Seline Hizli been in? Since Deadwater Fell, Hizli has gone on to roles in Sky's Avenue 5 and BBC comedy Am I Being Unreasonable?. Previously, she played the role of Margaret Ward on Grantchester during its second and third season, as well as appearing in the BBC's World War II drama Land Girls.
Jamie Michie plays Simon Wells
Who is Simon Wells? Simon is headteacher at the primary school where Kate and Jess work. The sombre responsibility falls on him to explain the tragic events of the fire to the schoolchildren in one of the first episode's most emotional scenes.
What else has Jamie Michie been in? Michie reunited with Deadwater Fell co-star Lewis Gribben for Channel 4's coming-of-age drama Somewhere Boy. Other recent credits include Disney Plus comedies Wedding Season and The Full Monty. Michie is also known for the BBC's Back To Life, Channel 5's Borderline and Shetland. He appeared on the third season of Game of Thrones as Steelshanks Walton, but his most iconic role has to be Philip on The IT Crowd's hysterical "work outing" episode.
Lindy Whiteford plays Ruth McKenzie
Who is Ruth McKenzie? Ruth is Kate's mother who is devastated by the loss of her daughter and three grandchildren in another gut-wrenching scene from the opening episode.
What else has Lindy Whiteford been in? Whiteford played the role of Edie Rielly in the factual drama Official Secrets, which told the story of Iraq war whistleblower Katharine Gun. Prior to that, she appeared on a number of British television shows including Doctors, Shetland and The Bill.
Ron Donachie plays Callum McKenzie
Who is Callum McKenzie? Callum is Kate's father who is equally distraught by the tragic news of her passing.
What else has Ron Donachie been in? Last year, Donachie appeared in Agatha Christie adaptation Murder Is Easy and Channel 4 prison drama Screw. Game of Thrones fans will recognise him as Ser Rodrik Cassel from the first season of the phenomenal fantasy drama. When not residing in Westeros, Donachie can be found on Waterloo Road, roaming the corridors of Duneagle Castle in an episode of Downton Abbey, or acting opposite Chris Pine in the Netflix movie Outlaw King.
Deadwater Fell is available to stream on Channel 4 and Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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