Channel 4 sitcom The Curse returns for a second season this week – with most of the gang now hiding out in Spain after their gold-stealing exploits in the first run.

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The majority of the cast from last time out is back for more this time around, including Murder in Successville star Tom Davis and People Just Do Nothing duo Steve Stamp and Allan Mustafa, while Ghosts star Kiell Smith-Bynoe is among the new additions.

Read on for everything you need to know about the cast, including a reminder of their characters and where you might have seen them before.

Allan Mustafa plays Albert Fantoni

Allan Mustafa plays Albert Fantoni
Allan Mustafa plays Albert Fantoni. Channel 4

Who is Albert? A meek cafe owner and family man, Albert was initially against the idea of pulling off a robbery but is persuaded to go ahead with the idea by his wife Natasha – and now finds himself living a very different life in the Costa del Crime.

"He feels like a boss now with his new hotel in this new environment and people working underneath him, but very quickly you realise that he is just lonely," Mustafa said of the character. "He hasn't got his friends to take the piss out of him, which he sort of enjoyed, and because Tash has fully gone for it to lead the business side, Albert feels like he hasn't got much to do."

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What else has Allan Mustafa been in? Mustafa is best known as the co-creator and star of the hit sitcom People Just Do Nothing, in which he played MC Grindah for four seasons and a movie. He also starred in the 2020 Netflix film Love Wedding Repeat and played a lead role in the BBC Three comedy Peacock.

Tom Davis plays Big Mick Neville

Big Mick (Tom Davis)
Big Mick (Tom Davis). Channel 4

Who is Mick? Mick is a witless ex-boxer and the oldest member of the gang, who lapped up the idea of the heist but wasn't exactly an expert when it came to covering his tracks – and now finds himself behind bars as a result.

According to Davis: "Mick almost lives in a fantasy world where he thinks he's this big shot in prison, but he's gettable – he's not safe in prison. But you fear for all of them. You want to think that, at any time, any of these guys can go."

What else has Tom Davis been in? Davis is the star and co-creator of the sitcoms Murder in Successville and King Gary, while he has also appeared in a range of other comedy shows – notably including Plebs, Stag and Action Team.

Emer Kenny plays Natasha Fantoni

Natasha (Emer Kenny)
Natasha (Emer Kenny). Channel 4

Who is Natasha? Albert's wife and Sidney's sister, Natasha is by far the most sensible of the group – and after being the real mastermind behind the heist in season 1, she's very much taken on a leadership role in Spain. In season 2, she is also now pregnant with her first child.

"Tash thinks she can speak really good Spanish and over-pronounces everything," Kenny says of the character in season 2. "But they are quite settled, they've got the dream hotel, Albert's cooking in a nice restaurant. Even so, I think both of them are also really lonely. Albert doesn't have any mates and Tash doesn't have anyone she can trust."

What else has Emer Kenny been in? Kenny rose to fame playing Zsa Zsa Carter in EastEnders and spin-off EastEnders: E20 back in 2010, and she has since played a variety of roles including a leading part as Penelope 'Bunty' Windermere on daytime favourite Father Brown. She also has a successful TV writing career with credits on shows such as EastEnders, Holby City, Harlots, and Save Me, while her first series as a head writer – Karen Pirie – was released last year.

Steve Stamp plays Sidney Wilson

Sidney (Steve Stamp)
Sidney (Steve Stamp). Channel 4

Who is Sidney? Natasha's brother, Sidney was the first to bring up the idea of the heist to the rest of the group – even if he wasn't always the most helpful in terms of orchestrating it.

"Sid is in this new role of a reggae beach-bar owner called Andrew," Stamp says of season 2. "He really gets into having a backstory for the character, so while Tash and Albert are building their empire, Sid’s just quietly trying to keep away from trouble.

"He's fully committed with a rat tail and little denim shorts, striding about on the beach, enjoying the sights and sounds. He's in his element and can't believe his luck, but it’s all tied up with Ronnie Gatlin and the criminal world, so he has things he needs to be watching out for.

What else has Steve Stamp been in? Like Mustafa, Stamp made his name on People Just Do Nothing as both a writer and star, playing drug addict and layabout Steves.

Michael Smiley plays Ronnie Gatlin

Ronnie (Michael Smiley)
Ronnie (Michael Smiley) Channel 4

Who is Ronnie? Ronnie appeared in the latter half of the first series – and is a key figure in the criminal underworld the gang now find themselves caught up in.

What else has Michael Smiley been in? Smiley has appeared in a huge variety of shows and films in his career – with highlights including playing Tyres O'Flaherty in Spaced, Benny Silver in Luther and more recently Dinger in Bloodlands. Film roles have included Kill List, The Lobster and Censor.

Kiell Smith-Bynoe plays David Nelson

Nelson (Kiell Smith-Bynoe)
Nelson (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) Channel 4

Who is David? Little has been revealed about Smith-Bynoe's character ahead of the new season.

What else has Kiell Smith-Bynoe been in? Smith-Bynoe is known for his roles in a string of hit comedies including Ghosts, Stath Lets Flats and Man Likes Mobeen, while he's recently been seen in the Sky Comedy series Dreamland and the ongoing season of Taskmaster.

Ambreen Razia plays Detective Thread

Detective Thread (Ambreen Razia)
Detective Thread (Ambreen Razia). Channel 4

Who is Detective Thread? One of the officers who was looking into the robbery in season 1, Thread is now working undercover in Spain.

What else has Ambreen Razia been in? Razia has previously starred in recurring roles in a number of small-screen projects including Starstruck, Trigonometry, and the second season of This Way Up.

Geoff Bell plays Detective Saunders

Geoff Bell plays Detective Saunders
Geoff Bell plays Detective Saunders. Channel 4

Who is Detective Saunders? The other detective who is also now undercover in Spain, Saunders has a penchant for grandstanding and is often one step behind his colleague.

What else has Geoff Bell been in? Bell has appeared in films such as Green Street, The Business and Kingsman: The Secret Service, while recent TV shows include His Dark Materials, The End of the F***ing World and Tin Star.

Juan Cely plays Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar (Juan Cely)
Pablo Escobar (Juan Cely). Channel 4

Who is Pablo Escobar? The infamous real-life Colombian drug lord whose path crosses with the gang this season.

What else has Juan Cely been in? Cely has previously appeared in the films The Infiltrator and Red Rage, and had a role in the Italian drama series Blocco 181.

Peter Ferdinando plays Clive

Clive (Peter Ferdinando)
Clive (Peter Ferdinando). Channel 4

Who is Clive? More commonly known as 'Crazy Clive', Clive was drafted in to help plan and execute the robbery.

What else has Peter Ferdinando been in? Character actor Ferdinando has appeared in a wealth of TV and film projects including Tony, Hyena, Starred Up, A Field in England, and Ghost in the Shell.

Hugo Chegwin plays Phil Pocket

Phil (Hugo Chegwin)
Phil (Hugo Chegwin). Channel 4

Who is Phil? Another member of the heist crew, Phil aspires to loftier ambitions as a fully-fledged member of a firm – and is often seen desperately trying to impress some rather intimidating gangsters – and appears to be dead at the start of season 2...

What else has Hugo Chegwin been in? Chegwin came to prominence for his role on People Just Do Nothing, in which he played the role of Grindah's right-hand man, Beats.

The Curse season 2 begins on Channel 4 on Thursday 27th April 2023. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Drama hub for the latest news.

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