Meet the cast of ITV's Sanditon

Inspired by Jane Austen’s unfinished novel about a developing seaside resort, the series revolves around Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams), a young woman from a quiet village who falls unexpectedly into the dramas, romances, and scandals of the town of Sanditon.

Speaking about his absence from season 2, James said in a statement: "Although I relished playing Sidney, for me, I've always maintained that his journey concluded as I wanted it to."

He added: "The broken fairytale-like ending between Charlotte and Sidney is different, unique and so interesting to me and I wish the cast and crew every success with future series."

And as for the new gents: could one of them mend Charlotte's broken heart? Well, it certainly looks like it, if Williams's recent comments are anything to go by.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Williams teased that "there are two love interests present" for Charlotte this season, but that "she stumbles upon them rather than seeking a new match".

With Sanditon airing weekly on ITV, read on for everything you need to know about the cast and characters in the series.

Sanditon season 2 cast

Rose Williams plays Charlotte Heywood

Who is Charlotte Heywood? Charlotte, who always craved adventure, was unexpectedly given the chance to leave her hometown to accompany Tom Parker to Sanditon in season 1. Going into season 2, she's still nursing a broken heart after Sidney Parker (Theo James) rejected her.

What else has Rose Williams been in? The actress starred as Faith Palladino in Sky's dystopian drama, Curfew. She has also played Emma in Changeland, Caterina Sforza Riario in Medici, and Claude de Valois in Reign.

Ben Lloyd-Hughes plays Alexander Colbourne

Who is Alexander Colbourne? The guardian of two girls, he employs Charlotte as their governess in season 2.

Where have I seen Ben Lloyd-Hughes before? He played Will in Divergent and Insurgent, and has also starred in Me Before You, Malevolent, National Treasure, Skins, the recent series The Ipcress File (as James), and played Greg Grayson in Industry.

Alexander Vlahos plays Charles Lockhart

Who is Charles Lockhart? An enigmatic artist who is intrigued by Georgiana Lambe (Crystal Clarke) in season 2.

Where have I seen Alexander Vlahos before? He played Monsieur Philippe d'Orléans in Versailles, Mordred in the BBC fantasy series Merlin, Allan Christie in Outlander, Prisoner Zero in Prisoner Zero, and Dai Llewellyn in Bang.

Rosie Graham plays Alison Heywood

Who is Alison Heywood? Charlotte's "tearaway" younger sister, who accompanies her to Sanditon in season 2 and instantly catches the attention of several soldiers.

Where have I seen Rosie Graham before? The newcomer is best known for playing Morna Cameron in time-travelling drama series Outlander.

Tom Weston-Jones plays Colonel Francis Lennox

Who is Colonel Francis Lennox? Military leader and season 2 newcomer Colonel Francis Lennox oversees his subordinates, Captain Declan Fraser and Captain William Carter.

Where have I seen Tom Weston-Jones before? He played Richard Lee in Warrior, Meriwether Compeyson in Dickensian, Detective Kevin Corcoran in Copper, and Sasha Gavrik in Spooks, among other projects.

Frank Blake plays Captain Declan Fraser

Who is Captain Declan Fraser? A military man and newcomer to Sanditon.

Where have I seen Frank Blake before? He played Alan in Normal People, Constable Pip Bircher in The Frankenstein Chronicles, and Harry in Bridgerton, among other projects.

Anne Reid plays Lady Denham

Who is Lady Denham? No-nonsense Lady Denham holds the power in Sanditon, and does not let anyone forget it. This twice-widowed lady has a huge fortune, and is aware that people are fighting to win her favour to ensure their chunk of the inheritance. She is extremely money-conscious and miserly.

What else has Anne Reid been in? Reid is best known for her role as Valerie in British soap opera Coronation Street. She has also starred as Jean in dinnerladies, Muriel Deacon in Years and Years, and May in The Mother.

Kris Marshall plays Tom Parker

Who is Tom Parker? Tom Parker is relentlessly enthusiastic about his dream, the driving force behind the plan to develop Sanditon into a resort. A kind, family man, Tom Parker is definitely likeable; but his optimistic outlook could cause trouble in high society. He returns for season 2.

What else has Kris Marshall been in? Kris is best known as DI Humphrey Goodman in the ever-popular crime show Death in Paradise, which he left in 2017. He is also known for playing Colin Frissell in Love Actually and Nick Harper in My Family.

Crystal Clarke plays Miss Georgiana Lambe

Who is Miss Georgiana Lambe? The hugely-wealthy friend of Sidney Parker, Georgiana Lambe creates quite a stir in Sanditon when she arrives in season 1. A mixed-race woman, whose wealth is traced back to her family in Antigua, Miss Lambe makes a real impression on the money-hungry characters in the town. She's returning for season 2.

• Read More: Was there a black heiress in Jane Austen’s original Sanditon?

What else has Crystal Clarke been in? Crystal, who was relatively new to the world of acting when she joined Sanditon, landed a major role in BBC's Ordeal by Innocence as Tina Argyll. The actress is also known as Samia in Assassin's Creed, Tipi in Black Mirror, and as Resistance transport pilot Pamich Nerro Goode in Star Wars episodes VII and VIII.

Lily Sacofsky plays Clara Brereton

Who is Clara Brereton? The niece of Lady Denham, who lives as her companion in Sanditon. She is a "poor relation" and immediately bonds with Charlotte. She returns for season 2.

What else has Lily Sacofsky been in? The actress played Hannah Petrukhin in Summer of Rockets. She also played the role of Laura Fraser in Bancroft.

Kate Ashfield plays Mary Parker

Who is Mary Parker? Tom Parker's wife. She loves him dearly, but has had to adjust to Sanditon itself being the third person in their marriage – so great is his passion for the town.

What else has Kate Ashfield been in? Kate Ashfield starred as Liz in the movie Shaun of the Dead, and as Sadie in This Little Life. On TV, she has played Jools Gates in the first season of Line of Duty (opposite Lennie James), and appeared in Secrets and Lies, Collision, and The Diary of Anne Frank.

Jack Fox plays Sir Edward Denham

Who is Edward Denham? Nephew to Lady Denham, and brother to Esther Denham, Edward is unforgiving in his determination to receive a large sum in his Aunt's will.

What else has Jack Fox been in? Most recently, Jack has played Nico Eltham in Sky's drama Riviera. He is also recognisable as Geoffrey in Johnny English Strikes Again, Lars in Kids in Love, and Ralph in Fresh Meat.

Charlotte Spencer plays Esther Denham

Who is Esther Denham? Edward Denham's equally money-motivated sister Esther works with Edward as they try to fight their way into inheritance in season 1. In season 2, however, she's married and a reformed character.

What else has Charlotte Spencer been in? Charlotte is best-known for her role as Charlotte Appleby in BBC thriller, The Living and the Dead. The up-and-coming actress also starred in Line of Duty as Carly, and in Glue as Tina.

Leo Suter plays Young Stringer

Who is Young Stringer? A young man who works in Sanditon in season 1. His father Old Stringer is a foreman, and they are instrumental to building the upcoming seaside resort and making it a fashionable holiday spot.

What else has Leo Suter been in? Leo Suter played Drummond in the TV series Victoria, and was also Jack in Clique. Recently he starred as Daniel in Beecham House.

Rob Jarvis plays Old Stringer

Who is Old Stringer? Young Stringer's father, a skilled stonemason. In season 1 he is employed on Tom Parker's building site in Sanditon, but thanks to a shortage of money and men, he has been doing the work of a labourer himself just to get the job done.

What else has Rob Jarvis been in? The actor played Eddie in the TV series Hustle. Recently, he played DC Euan Johnson in Collateral.

Jyuddah Jaymes plays Otis Molyneux

Who is Otis? The secret boyfriend of Georgiana Lambe in season 1.

What else has Jyuddah Jaymes been in? The newcomer recently starred as Aubrey in the TV series Clique.

Ruth Kearney plays Eliza Campion

Who is Eliza Campion? An old connection of Sidney Parker's in season 1.

What else has Ruth Kearney been in? Ruth Kearney played Jess Parker in Primeval, Daisy in The Following, and London in the TV series Flaked.

Sophie Winkleman plays Lady Susan

Who is Lady Susan? Charlotte Heywood meets Lady Susan at a party in London in season 1, when they are both taking a breather, and the two get along excellently. In Sanditon, Lady Susan is a high-society woman with huge influence on the "beau monde". The name may also be a nod to Jane Austen's novella, Lady Susan, though in that story the character is far less nice.

What else has Sophie Winkleman been in? Recent roles have included Margot in the TV series Trust, Zoey in Two and a Half Men, and Harper Dylan in the new TV version of Four Weddings and a Funeral. The actress already has history of playing characters named Susan, having starred as "Older Susan" in The Chronicles of Narnia and Big Suze in Peep Show.

And like her Sanditon character, Sophie Winkleman is actually also a lady: specifically, she's Lady Frederick Windsor, wife of Lord Frederick Windsor, who is son of Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin Prince Michael of Kent.

Also – Strictly's Claudia Winkleman is her half-sister.

Kevin Eldon plays Mr Hankins

Who is Mr Hankins? Sanditon's resident religious man. He's a bit of a sanctimonious bore, but Mrs Griffiths likes him.

What else has Kevin Eldon been in? The actor is not a total stranger to the cloth, having played Bishop Erkenwald in The Last Kingdom. He's also starred in Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes (as Lance-Corporal Jones), Danger Mouse, Hot Fuzz, Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge, and Brass Eye.

Adrian Scarborough plays Dr Fuchs

Who is Dr Fuchs? The doctor makes a dramatic entrance into Sanditon in season 1 episode three, when Tom Parker decides that a medical man is the key to his seaside town's future success. He doesn't actually appear in the novel – but at the start of Jane Austen's first chapter, Mr and Mrs Parker do get in a carriage accident because they're on a misguided detour to find a doctor for Sanditon. That provided the perfect opportunity for screenwriter Andrew Davies to bring in Dr Fuchs.

"I've been trying to get Dr Fuchs into things for ages," Davies explained. "I originally invented him as a sort of weird shopping psychoanalyst for Mr Selfridge, and we all used to have a great giggle in script conferences. But people said: no, we can't have Dr Fuchs in that. So I thought, right, I'll just park him for a while. But Sanditon needs a doctor, and I thought, yes. Dr Fuchs is just right for it. And he's been to Baden-Baden and he knows all the latest cures and inventions and contraptions."

What else has Adrian Scarborough been in? Adrian Scarborough is a familiar face as a supporting actor. Recent roles have included Raymond in Killing Eve, Hal Gallsworthy in Christopher Robin, and George Carman QC in A Very English Scandal. His other credits include The King's Speech, Gavin & Stacey, Les Misérables, Vera Drake, The History Boys, and Upstairs Downstairs, as well as upcoming drama The Light.

Turlough Convery plays Arthur Parker

Who is Arthur Parker? Tom Parker's 21-year-old brother. He is merry but indolent, and has taken on his sister's hypochondria – fancying himself a delicate "invalid".

What else has Turlough Convery been in? The actor recently had a star turn as Grantaire the revolutionary in Les Misérables. He played Tom Harry in Poldark, with other credits including Lovesick, River, and My Mad Fat Diary.

Alexandra Roach plays Diana Parker

Who is Diana Parker? Sister of Tom Parker. She is constantly concerned about her health, and is a bit of a busybody and a martyr.

What else has Alexandra Roach been in? Up until series three, Alexandra Roach starred as DS Joy Freers in No Offence. She has also appeared in Hold the Sunset, Hunderby, and played a young Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

Elizabeth Berrington plays Mrs Griffiths

Who is Mrs Griffiths? Miss Lambe's guardian in Sanditon. She is a respectable woman who has taken three young ladies under her care, including the English Miss Beauforts.

What else has Elizabeth Berrington been in? The actress is a familiar face on our screens, with more than 100 film and TV credits. Recently you might have spotted her as Dagon, Lord of the Files in Good Omens, or as Hazel in Yesterday, or as Lady Bareacres in Vanity Fair.

Matthew Needham plays Mr Crowe

Who is Mr Crowe? One of Sidney's friends, who he has convinced to accompany him to Sanditon. He has no particular respect for women.

What else has Matthew Needham been in? The actor made a brief appearance in the TV miniseries Chernobyl, playing Dmitri. He began his career as Toby De Silva in Casualty.

Mark Stanley plays Lord Babington

Who is Lord Babington? Lord Babington falls for Esther, and is determined to woo her in season 1.

What else has Mark Stanley been in? Since starring as Grenn in Game of Thrones, Mark Stanley has appeared in Dickensian (as Bill Sikes), Our Kind of Traitor, Love Lies and Records, Euphoria, Broken, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (as a Knight of Ren).

Theo James plays Sidney Parker

Who is Sidney Parker? Sidney, one of the brothers of Tom Parker, is unpredictable, cold, and relatively unlikeable. He developed a will-they-won't-they rapport with Charlotte in season 1, but won't be returning for season 2.

"Although I relished playing Sidney, for me, I've always maintained that his journey concluded as I wanted it to," Theo James said in a statement. "The broken fairy-tale like ending between Charlotte and Sidney is different, unique and so interesting to me and I wish the cast and crew every success with future series."

What else has Theo James been in? Theo James is best-known as Four in the Divergent trilogy. You may also have seen him as Will Younger in How It Ends, James in The Inbetweeners Movie, and David in Underworld: Blood Wars. The actor also briefly appeared in Downton Abbey.

• Read More: Why isn't Theo James in Sanditon season 2?

Sanditon season 2 arrived on BritBox on Monday 21st March 2022, and began airing on ITV from 22nd July 2022 – you can sign up for a 7-day free BritBox trial here.

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Drama hub for the latest news.

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