Channel 5 mystery series The Good Ship Murder is essentially Midsomer Murders set on a cruise liner in the Mediterranean.

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Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley lead the cast as an unlikely duo who team up to solve a spate of murders, with a host of other recognisable faces joining them for the eight-episode drama, which kicked off on Friday 13th October.

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Read on for everything you need to know about the The Good Ship Murder characters and who plays them.

The Good Ship Murder main cast

  • Shayne Ward as Jack
  • Catherine Tyldesley as Kate
  • Claire Sweeney as Beverley
  • Geoffrey Breton as Piers
  • Zak Douglas as Jamil
  • Vincent Paul Ebrahim as Gregory

Shayne Ward plays Jack

Jack stood on stage on the cruise ship, dressed in a tux, waving to the audience
Shayne Ward as Jack in The Good Ship Murder. Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television / Clapperboard

Who is Jack? A cabaret singer who used to be a detective in the special crimes unit. When a passenger is killed in episode 1, he joins forces with First Officer Kate Woods to solve the crime.

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"Jack is a really likeable guy," said Ward. "He's the type of person who walks into a room and knows everyone - says hello to everyone. He's a really kind soul who always wants to do the best for others and sees the best in others.

"He's done his time in the police force, worked hard, been very committed, and now he's enjoying this new chapter in his life. When we meet him, his past and present are about to collide. He's solving crimes by day and entertaining passengers by night. It's such good fun, a real rollercoaster of a part."

Where have I seen Shayne Ward before? As well as winning The X Factor, he previously appeared in Coronation Street as Aidan Connor.

Catherine Tyldesley plays Kate

Close-up of Kate standing on the cruise ship wearing her crew uniform
Catherine Tyldesley as Kate Woods in The Good Ship Murder. Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television / Clapperboard

Who is Kate? A first officer who is training for her captain's licence. When one of the ship's passengers is murdered in the opening episode, she forms a partnership with Jack to unmask the perpetrator.

Tyldesley described her as "fierce", adding: "She's very smart and very career driven. It's been a struggle for her to get to where she is in a very male-dominated arena, but it's never once set her back. She is just as good, if not better, than every male opponent she's ever come across."

Where have I seen Catherine Tyldesley before? Most people know her as Eva Price from Coronation Street. She's also appeared in Sky comedy Trollied, ITV crime drama Viewpoint, BBC sitcom Scarborough and an episode of ITV's McDonald & Dodds.

Claire Sweeney plays Beverley

Beverley talking to a passenger on the ship, dressed in her crew uniform
Claire Sweeney as Beverley in The Good Ship Murder. Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television / Clapperboard

Who is Beverley? The cruise director. It's her job to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible, a responsibility she relishes.

Where have I seen Claire Sweeney before? She's best known for playing Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside. She joined Coronation Street this year.

Geoffrey Breton plays Piers

Piers standing in the crew space, wearing his uniform
Geoffrey Breton as Piers de Vreese in The Good Ship Murder. Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television / Clapperboard

Who is Piers? Another first officer on the ship. He's also Kate's fiancé, but there's clearly chemistry between his wife-to-be and Jack.

Where have I seen Geoffrey Breton before? He appeared in ITV's Blue Murder and BBC One's The Diary of Anne Frank, and he played Princess Anne's first husband Mark Phillips in Netflix's The Crown.

Zak Douglas plays Jamil

Close-up of Jamil smiling, dressed in white
Zak Douglas as Jamil in The Good Ship Murder. Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television / Clapperboard

Who is Jamil? He works on the ship, and also acts as Jack's eyes and ears when dealing with the guests.

Where have I seen Zak Douglas before? You might have watched him in The Larkins.

Vincent Paul Ebrahim plays Gregory

Gregory dressed in his captain's uniform
Vincent Paul Ebrahim as Gregory in The Good Ship Murder. Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television / Clapperboard

Who is Gregory? The captain of the ship.

Where have I seen Vincent Paul Ebrahim before? Most people will know him from The Kumars at No 42.

Episode 1 guest stars

  • Charlie Hardwick (Emmerdale) plays Brenda
  • Nigel Betts (Emmerdale) plays Tony
  • Karen Henthorn (Coronation Street) plays Maureen
  • Richard Pepper (Litvinenko) plays Nathan Grealish
  • Jean-Philippe Ricci (Mafiosa) plays Pascal
  • Anthony Edridge (The Crown) as Capitaine Lebron

Episode 2 guest stars

  • Terry Bamberger plays Stephanie St James
  • Tommaso Basili (Viola come il mare) plays Nero De Wolf
  • Emma Lowndes (Downton Abbey) plays Lizzie Brown
  • James Carroll Jordan (Wreck) plays Elmore Patterson III

Episode 3 guest stars

  • Umulisa Gahiga (Mammals) plays Therese Cabrier
  • Avita Jay (Bring on the Bollywood) plays Suhani Summers
  • Jane Slavin (Coronation Street) plays Paulette Giggs
  • Twana Omer (Coronation Street) plays Omar Ayouch
  • Cosh Omar (No Return) as Chafiq Harrak
  • Elijah Braik (trigger Point) as Al Qirsh

Episode 4 guest stars

  • Olivia Fenton (Scott & Bailey) plays Ella Jones
  • Olivia Marie Fearn (Ackley Bridge) plays Cecile Ray
  • Fergal Coughlan (Emmerdale) plays Charlie York
  • Stephen Bradley (Penny Dreadful) plays Evan O’Donnell
  • Nicholas Gauci (Liaison) plays Nelson Raposo
  • Laura Buhagiar plays detective Luciana Perez

Episode 5 guest stars

  • Rahul Arya (Doctors) plays BL Zeebub
  • Jacqueline Boatswain (Death in Paradise) plays Wendy Weston
  • Jeffrey Mundell (The Desert) plays Keith Lomax
  • Florin Piersic Jr (Comrade Detective) plays Nikolai Volkov
  • Douglas Rand (Mystery Lane) plays Lee Stanard
  • Yuna Shin (Halo) plays Dr Sharon Tan

The Good Ship Murder airs on Channel 5. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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