The Tower cast
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ITV’s ‘The Tower’ drama: Gemma Whelan leads a stellar cast

There are several former soap stars who pop up too!

The Tower is the latest ITV drama to keep viewers guessing this week – and it’s got a cracking cast.

The three-part series follows events after a long-serving cop and a teenage girl fall to their deaths from a London tower block.

DS Sarah Collins’ subsequent investigation takes her into the dark heart of policing.

Here’s everything you need to know about the impressive cast.

Gemma Whelan as DS Sarah Collins in The Tower
Gemma Whelan as DS Sarah Collins in the cast of The Tower (Credit: ITV1)

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The Tower cast: Gemma Whelan plays DS Sarah Collins

Gemma Whelan portrays DS Sarah Collins in The Tower.

She is charged with leading the investigation when a veteran beat cop and a teenage girl fall to their deaths from a tower block in south-east London.

Left alive on the roof are a five-year-old boy and rookie police officer Lizzie Adama, who disappears within hours.

Gemma Whelan, 40, is best known for playing Yara Greyjoy in Game of Thrones.

Award-winner Gemma has previously appeared as Miriam in Gentleman Jack, Ann Eaton in White House Farm, and Geraldine in Killing Eve.

Gemma also played Karen Matthews in BBC drama, The Moorside, and most recently popped up in Inside No.9.

The Tower cast: Tahirah Sharif portrays Lizzie Adama

Elsewhere in The Tower, Tahirah Sharif plays rookie cop Lizzie Adama.

Lizzie goes missing after witnessing two violent deaths from a tower block.

Tahirah is best known for playing Rebecca Jessel in Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor in 2020.

She also starred as Carrie Norton in Waterloo Road, and Ella Ashford in Casualty.

Film roles include Melissa in Netflix’s A Christmas Prince, and Sue in The Kindred.

Tahirah Sharif
Tahirah Sharif as PC Lizzie Adama in the cast of The Tower (Credit: ITV1)

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The Tower cast: Emmett J. Scanlan stars as DI Kieran Shaw

Emmett J. Scanlan, 42, takes the role of uniformed police inspector DI Kieran Shaw.

Kieran plays an integral role in the police investigation into the two deaths and one disappearance.

Of course, Emmett is best known for playing Brendan Brady in Hollyoaks from 2010 t0 2013.

He’s gone on to portray Simon Monroe in In the Flesh, Delmos in Atlantis, DC Glen Martin in The Fall, and Josh Mason in Safe.

Other significant roles include Stephen Duffy in Butterfly, Kieran in Women on the Verge, Jack O’Doherty in Gangs of London and Billy Grade in Peaky Blinders.

He’s also starred as Head Riot Guard in mega-blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014.

emmett j. scanlan in The Tower
Emmett J. Scanlan as DC Kieran Shaw in The Tower (Credit: ITV1)

The Tower cast: Jimmy Akingbola is DC Steve Bradshaw

Jimmy Akingbola, 43, is DC Steve Bradshaw.

Steve is DS Sarah Collins’ right hand man.

Actor Jimmy has a CV as long as his arm, and notable roles include Koji in the recent sitcom Kate & Koji, Antoine Malick in Holby City and Mick in Rev.

He played Baz Adebalu in Ballot Monkeys, DI Hammond in Cheat, and Valentine in In the Long Run.

Jimmy Akingbola
Jimmy Akingbola as DC Steve Bradshaw in The Tower cast (Credit: ITV1)

The Tower cast – Nabil Elouahabi as Younes Mehenni

British Moroccan actor Nabil Elouahabi stars as Younes Mehanni.

Younes is the grief stricken father of teenage Muslim girl Farah Mehenni who is found dead at the bottom of the tower.

He distrusts the police and perhaps knows more than he is prepared to say about the crime…

Of course, actor Nabil Elouahabi is most famous for his role in EastEnders.

He played Tariq from 2003 to 2005.

Nabil went on to portray Meesh in Generation Kill, Mr Mustapha in Top Boy, Yusuf in The Night Of, and Rabee in Our Girl.

He is also recognisable for his vitiligo, a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin.

Nabil Elouahabi
Nabil Elouahabi as Younes Mehennii in The Tower cast (Credit: ITV1)

The Tower cast – Karl Davies as DCI Tim Bailie.

Karl Davies stars as DCI Tim Bailie in The Tower on ITV1.

DCI Bailie is DS Sarah Collins’ boss – but it’s not an easy alliance as a result of his constant gaslighting.

In fact, actress Gemma Whelan, aka Sarah, says: “I love Karl Davies who plays him but I flipping hated Bailie.

“I found it hard to even make eye contact with this monster.

“He is so good because he delivers it with this smooth, shark-eyed genteelness.”

Soap fans will recognise actor Karl Davies as Robert Sugden in Emmerdale, a role he played from 2001 and 2005.

He’s also starred as Nick Pullen in Peak Practice, Lyle Anderson in Kingdom, Dan Stanley in The Case, and Rob in My Mad Fat Diary.

Coincidentally, Karl also played Alton Lannister in Game of Thrones, which also starred The Tower co-star Gemma Whelan!

Karl also played Daniel Cawood in Happy Valley, Terry in Brief Encounters, and Viktor Proskuryakov in Chernobyl.

What are our burning questions after episode 2 of The Tower?
Karl Davies as DCI Tim Bailie in The Tower cast (Credit: ITV1)

Who else stars in The Tower?

Peaky Blinders star Nick Holder plays PC Hadley Matthews, while The Rook’s Michael Karim portrays PC Arif Johar.

Newcomer Lola Elsokari portrays Farah Mehenni, and Dalgleish’s Sally Scott plays Carrie Stoddard.

Harriet Webb stars as DC Alice Parker, Rex Parry is Ben Stoddard, and Robin Morrissey plays PS Fred Thompson.

Meanwhile, Joe Macaulay plays Custody sergeant, Jim English is DC Jez Vine, Zmira Wicking stars as Aliya Mehenni, Menyee Lai plays the Pathologist, and Laurie Delaney is Mary Shaw.

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The Tower airs over three consecutive nights, starting on Monday November 8 2021 at 9pm on ITV1.

Will you be tuning in to The Tower on ITV1? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Helen Fear
TV Editor