Three of the cast of Suspect looking sad
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James Nesbitt drama Suspect: Full cast, episodes, plot details and first-look pictures

The crime series lands on Channel 4 'soon'

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Actor James Nesbitt is back on our screens “soon” in Suspect, a new crime drama from Channel 4.

After releasing a first-look image back in autumn 2021, new pictures and more details about the series have now been revealed.

And judging by what we’ve seen, it looks like we’re in for a wild ride.

James Nesbitt as Danny in Suspect pictured in a mortuary
James Nesbitt plays the starring role in Suspect (Credit: Channel 4)

What is Suspect with James Nesbitt all about?

The 56-year-old star is headlining the eight-part series.

And it’s not just James, either – he joins a stellar cast that includes Richard E Grant, Joely Richardson, Anne-Marie-Duff and Ben Miller.

So what’s it about?

Read more: Channel 4 announces new crime drama Suspect starring James Nesbitt and an amazing cast

Detective Danny Frater turns up at a hospital mortuary for what he thinks is a routine ID check on a young woman’s body, but he gets a devastating shock.

Logo fo teh new Channel 4 drama Suspect with a purple background
James leads the all-star cast in the new series (Credit: Channel 4)

The corpse turns out to be his estranged daughter, Christina (played by Imogen King).  

Danny is traumatised by the news that according to the post-mortem report, she’s taken her own life.

He can’t believe she’d do such a thing, and sets out to find the truth about what really happened.

Channel 4 has released a first-look image from the new James Nesbitt crime drama Suspect
James and Richard in Suspect (Credit: Channel 4)

Channel 4 releases new details of Suspect

The first-look image showed Danny (Nesbitt) looking dishevelled and exhausted.

With a mysterious cut on his forehead, he looks as though he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

On the side of the image is Richard, who plays Christina’s mentor, Harry.

Each episode sees Danny work through a list of suspects, with one instalment dedicated to each one.

It looks from the photo that Harry is very much one of those suspects.

The new pictures show Danny holding a scalpel in what looks like the mortuary.

Pathologist Jackie (Richardson) is seen wearing scrubs in the same setting.

Meanwhile, his ex-wife Susannah (Duff) is seen heartbroken crouched over a coffin.

Joely Richardson as a lab technician in scrubs
Joely Richardson plays Jackie in the new crime drama (Credit: Channel 4)

When is Suspect on?

Suspect is a remake of the Danish series, Forhøret, and Channel 4 says the series is out “soon”.

The series will feature eight 30-minute episodes.

On working with the other cast members, Nesbitt said: “The calibre of the actors is amazing and they came so prepared.

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“They were also incredibly supportive and protective of me, I think instinctively, because they knew I was taking on a fairly big responsibility. It was a beautifully collaborative experience.”

Each episode of Suspect is an intensely theatrical double-hander, a psychological battle of wits between Danny and another character.

He added: “I could relate to Danny, with his flaws, vulnerabilities and the devastating situation he faces, from the very first moment I picked up the script.”

Susannah in Suspect pictured looking in a coffin
Anne-Marie Duff plays bereaved mother Susannah (Credit: Channel 4)

He then released more details of what sounds like a unique drama.

“Each episode of Suspect is an intensely theatrical double-hander, a psychological battle of wits between Danny and another character who may know something about his daughter’s untimely death.”

As a result, episode one features Danny and Jackie, while episode two stars just James and Niamh Algar, who plays Nicola – the partner of Danny’s late daughter.

James Nesbitt's Uniquely Strange First TV Appearance | The Graham Norton Show

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor