Dalgliesh season 3 cast - Meet the characters in the Channel 5 drama

The first revolves around the murder of a senior churchman in a seminary in West Sussex, the second investigation looks into a murder in the house of a wealthy and influential family in Essex, and the final story sees Dalgliesh tackle a string of killings in Kent, suspected to be the work of anti-nuclear campaigners.

As ever, plenty of new guest stars have joined the cast, one being Claire Goose, who plays Dalgliesh's new love interest Dr Emma Lavenham – a relationship Miskin plays a "key" role in, according to Carvel.

"[It's] fantastic to have Carlyss back and to kind of, I don't know whether I'm going to say complete that storyline, but definitely develop that storyline," he said.

"She unlocks the growth that has been waiting to happen throughout these whole three seasons, and that he's moved in various different directions in terms of his secret heart, and she kind of holds the key in a funny kind of way.

"PD James had this great phrase about Dalgliesh having a sliver of ice in the heart, and I think she was talking about his ruthlessness more than anything else.

"But also, I think about that in terms of his wound and the grief, which is where we’ve started him with this series, and that actually the slow thawing of that sliver of ice is what's been happening for these three years.

Read more:

• Bertie Carvel explains why time might be right to say goodbye to Dalgliesh
• Dalgliesh’s Bertie Carvel says Miskin is "key" to "new relationship"

"And a huge part of that, I think, is down to [DS Kate] Miskin and the not always straightforward relationship that those two enjoy. And of course, you now know he’s going to, by the end of the series, take a leap, take a risk, and open himself to potential damage again by beginning a new relationship with Emma Lavenham [Claire Goose].

"But it's because of Miskin, it's because of the learning that I think has gone there, and because, in a way, he's closed doors before, and that's not completing him. He knows that he has to kind of open it again and take a risk."

Find out who else is starring in season 3 of Dalgliesh below.

Dalgliesh season 3 main returning cast

The returning cast of Dalgliesh season 3 is as follows:

• Bertie Carvel as Adam Dalgliesh
• Carlyss Peer as Kate Miskin
• Alistair Brammer as Daniel Tarrant

Read on for the cast of Dalgliesh season 3.

Bertie Carvel plays Adam Dalgliesh

Who is Adam Dalgliesh? Detective Chief Inspector Adam Dalgliesh is the protagonist of the PD James mystery novels. Reserved and enigmatic, Dalgliesh is a widower and is reluctant to commit to anyone following her passing. He's also a published poet and when we first meet him at the very start of the series, he has begun writing again after taking a break.

"At the end of the second series he had considered giving it all up, but chose to remain and redouble his pursuit of truth," said Carvel.

"He was promoted and given the leadership of a specialist unit, investigating “sensitive cases” — high profile or politically significant in some way. At the start of this series we see him on the cusp of writing poetry, but he is interrupted before the pen touches paper. Would the ink have flowed? Is he ready to love and to create? Watch on to find out!"

Where have I seen Bertie Carvel before? Bertie Carvel is best known for playing cheating husband Simon Foster in Doctor Foster alongside Suranne Jones and his role as magician Jonathan Strange in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. He also plays Tony Blair in The Crown, starred in ITV drama The Sister with Russell Tovey, appeared in the film adaptation of Les Misérables and won two Olivier awards for his work on stage in Matilda the Musical and Ink.

Carlyss Peer plays Kate Miskin

Who is Kate Miskin? Kate Miskin was Dalgliesh's work partner, but she was promoted from DS to DCI at the end of season 2 and moved to another department.

Speaking ahead of season 2, writer Helen Edmundson said: "The two of them have become closer through working together and at the beginning of the new series we sense that possibly Miskin is developing feelings for Dalgliesh or at least thinking about him a little too much."

Where have I seen Carlyss Peer? You might recently have spotted her in an episode ion Beyond Paradise playing a woman whose house was burgled. Her CV also includes Doctors, ITV crime drama Viewpoint, sci-fi series The Feed and Holby City.

Alistair Brammer plays Daniel Tarrant

Who is Daniel Tarrant? DS Daniel Tarrant joined Dalgliesh and Miskin's team in season 2. "He's in his late 20s and unlike Miskin, he's been fast-tracked into becoming a detective quite quickly, purely because as a white, male, Cambridge graduate he's from a privileged background," said Brammer when first introducing his character.

"He's certainly a product of his time – but he's a good guy. He's got a good heart. He's quietly good at his job, he's got good instincts. I think he can read people well. He’s certainly got the makings of a good detective."

Where have I seen Alistair Brammer before? He's best known for his stage work, appearing in Les Mislerables, War Horse and Miss Saigon. You night recognise him from Casualty.

Dalgliesh season 3: episodes 1 and 2 guest stars

• Phoebe Nicholls (Downton Abbey, Brideshead Revisited) plays Agatha Betteron
• Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, The Crown) plays John Betteron
• Lloyd Owen (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Monarch of the Glen) plays George Gregory
• Charlie Cain (Fool Me Once) plays Raphael Arbuthnot
• Claire Goose (Casualty, Waking the Dead) plays Dr Emma Lavenham
• Andrew Havill (The Crown) plays Matthew Crampton
• Richard Lintern (Silent Witness) plays Father Sebastian
• Michael Jenn (Andor) plays Father Peregrine
• Lloyd James (The Emily Atack Show) plays Eric Surtees
• Phoebe Sparrow (Downton Abbey) plays Karen Surtees
• Benjamin Cawley (Grime Kids) plays Dr Mark Ayling

Dalgliesh season 3: episodes 3 and 4 guest stars

• Sam Swainsbury (Mum) plays Clive Roscoe
• Parth Thakerar (Brassic) plays Krishna Mehta
• Allegra Marland (The Crown) plays Lady Catherine
• Ellora Torchia (The Split) plays Devi Langridge
• Jack Myers (Say Nothing) plays Felix Hearne
• Soni Razdan (Call My Agent) plays Anita Mehta
• Josie Walker (This Is Going to Hurt) plays Martha Tate
• Holly Cattle (COBRA) plays Sally Jupp
• Andrew Tiernan (Innoncent) plays Malcolm Proctor
• Oliver Woollford (Eve) plays Derek Pullen
• Anne Bird (One Day) plays Simone Proctor
• Sara Powell (Holby Blue) plays Paula Rice
• Allison Harding (Ellis) plays Pathologist

Dalgliesh season 3: episodes 5 and 6 guest stars

• Claire Goose (Casualty, Waking the Dead) plays Dr Emma Lavenham
• Georgina Beedle (Catherine the Great) plays Charlotte Tyson
• Elizabeth Connick plays Amy Camm
• Adam James (Hotel Portofino) plays Alex Mayer
• Liz White (Ackley Bridge) plays Hilary Roberts
• Chris Patrick-Simpson (Soft Border Control) plays DI Keith Arnold
• Catriona McFeely (The Heist Before Christmas) plays DS Jane Jones
• Robert Lonsdale (Chewing Gum) plays Neil Pascoe
• Mancy Carroll (Father Brown) plays Alice Mayer
• Robert Wilfort (Gavin & Stacey) plays Giles Fleet
• Bradley Hall (Grantchester) plays Jonathan Reeves
• Lloyd Hutchinson (Bad Sisters) plays George Jessop
• Kealan McAllister (The Cleaner) plays Simon Shelton
• Orla Mullan (Marcella) plays Fiona Baldwin
• Holly Demain (Nova Jones) plays Vivienne Mitchell
• David Pearce (Bodkin) plays Miles Kynaston
• Reece McGowan plays Ronnie

Dalgliesh airs on Channel 5.

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