Meet the cast of Showtrial season 2
The new season stars Adeel Akhtar and Michael Socha.
Three years after the first season debuted, the second run of Showtrial is finally here, telling a new story with an entirely new cast of characters.
This season stars Adeel Akhtar and Michael Socha, and focuses on the case surrounding the death of climate activist Marcus Calderwood, who is knocked off his bike in a hit and run.
Socha's character, PC Justin Mitchell, is named by Marcus as the perpetrator before he dies – but did Justin really do it, and can Akhtar's defence solicitor, Sam Malik, successfully argue his case?
Fans will have to watch the full five-part season to find out. But who else stars in the series and who do they all play?
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Showtrial season 2.
Who's in the cast of Showtrial season 2?
Below is the main line-up for Showtrial season 2, which is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Read on to find out more about the cast and characters.
- Adeel Akhtar as Sam Malik
- Michael Socha as PC Justin Mitchell
- Nathalie Armin as Leila Hassoun-Kenny
- Joe Dempsie as DI Miles Southgate
- Fisayo Akinade as Felix Owusu
- Zoë Telford as Helen McGuire
- Nina Toussaint-White as Claudia Wood
- Ali Khan as Mani Malik-Cohen
- John Light as Adrian Gilligan
- John Marquez as Alex
- Anna Wilson-Jones as Tamara Baudin-Kenny
- Francesca Annis as Dame Harriet Kenny
- Barney Fishwick as Marcus Calderwood
Adeel Akhtar plays Sam Malik
Who is Sam Malik? Sam is a defence lawyer who takes on the case of a police officer, Justin Mitchell, accused of killing a climate activist. He is struggling with his own mental health outside of work, and suffers from insomnia.
Akhtar said of Sam: "Sam is by all accounts quite a successful lawyer, but it would seem he’s sacrificed a lot for that to happen. He’s neglected his home life, and his mental and physical health in pursuit of trying to be the best lawyer that he can be.
"We find him on edge at the start of the series. Mentally Sam seems fine to the outside world when he’s at work, but in his home life we find out that he’s really not looking after his own needs."
Where have I seen Adeel Akhtar before? Akhtar is known for his roles in films including Four Lions, The Big Sick, Victoria & Abdul, Swimming with Men, Murder Mystery, The Nest, Enola Holmes, Everybody's Talking About Jamie and The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. He has also had roles in series including Trollied, Utopia, The Job Lot, River, The Night Manager, Unforgotten, Ghosted, Les Misérables, Back to Life, Killing Eve, Sherwood, Fool Me Once and Sweet Tooth.
Michael Socha plays PC Justin Mitchell
Who is PC Justin Mitchell? Justin is a police officer who is accused by climate activist Marcus Calderwood of knocking him down while he was cycling, in a hit and run which ultimately led to Marcus's death.
Socha said of Justin: "The joy of playing Justin comes with his ambiguity, and you never really know what he’s thinking. There’s a lot of behind-the-lines intentions with Justin, and reasons behind his bravado. Ultimately Justin is a damaged character who is really struggling.
"He sees Sam, Adeel’s character, as going through a similar sort of thing, but handling it in a very truthful, raw and vulnerable manner - which Justin isn’t capable of. He hasn’t got it in his arsenal but he wants to be like Sam, which is one of the reasons why Justin is so keen to have Sam represent him."
Where have I seen Michael Socha before? Socha is known for his roles in This is England, Being Human, Once Upon a Time, Chernobyl, Time and The Gallows Pole.
Nathalie Armin plays Leila Hassoun-Kenny
Who is Leila Hassoun-Kenny? Leila is the Crown Proesuction Service lawyer leading the case against Justin Mitchell.
Armin said of playing Leila: "What’s fascinating about her, and the way Ben has written her, is that all of this professionalism and composure can waver somewhat in her family life. She has a particularly interesting relationship with her sister – Tamara, played by Anna Wilson-Jones – and the two both regress and antagonise each other.
"There’s a lot of love there, but they drive each other pretty crazy. It’s lovely getting a character who is so many things in so many different situations, and I suppose that’s what makes a character so truthful. She’s not very good at maintaining her composure and rigorousness in front of her sister."
Where have I seen Nathalie Armin before? Armin has had roles in series including Humans, Unforgotten, Vera, Marcella, Home, Magpie Murders, Treason and Juice, as well as films such as The Batman.
Joe Dempsie plays DI Miles Southgate
Who is DI Miles Southgate? Miles is a police officer who is drafted in from a neighbouring force in Hampshire to investigate the case surrounding Marcus Calderwood's death.
Dempsie said of Southgate: "Southgate is a bit of an outsider, not just in this story, but in life in general. It’s fair to say that the job he’s been given doesn’t make him especially popular with all of the officers he’s joining.
"The stakes are really high for Southgate as he’s got it in his head that his ability to solve this case will define him. He’s not your average young detective, he very much swims in his own lane."
Where have I seen Joe Dempsie before? Dempsie is best-known for his roles in Skins and Game of Thrones, as well as in other series including Doctor Who, This is England, Deep State and Pieces of Her. His film roles have included appearances in The Damned United and Blitz.
Fisayo Akinade plays Felix Owusu
Who is Felix Owusu? Felix is a divisive journalist and blogger who has a large following on social media, and who was friends with Marcus Calderwood.
Akinade said of Felix: "He is deeply passionate and prepared to cross certain lines in order to get to the heart of the truth. He’s got a real integrity and drive, but there’s a bit of self interest in there underneath all of that."
Where have I seen Fisayo Akinade before? Akinade is perhaps best-known for his role in Heartstopper, while his other TV roles have included appearances in Banana, Cucumber and Dangerous Liaisons, and his film roles have included parts in The Girl with All the Gifts and The Personal History of David Copperfield.
Zoë Telford plays Helen McGuire
Who is Helen McGuire? Helen is a police officer tasked with managing the press.
Where have I seen Zoë Telford before? Telford has had roles in series including Teachers, Absolute Power, The Palace, The Thick of It, Sherlock, Unforgotten, Death in Paradise, Brassic, Litvinenko, Vera, The Lazarus Project and Red Eye.
Nina Toussaint-White plays Claudia Wood
Who is Claudia Wood? Claudia is a lawyer who works with Sam.
Where have I seen Nina Toussaint-White before? Toussaint-White has previously had roles in EastEnders, Doctor Who, Holby City, Emmerdale, Uncle, Bodyguard, Mammals and Shetland.
Ali Khan plays Mani Malik-Cohen
Who is Mani Malik-Cohen? Mani is Sam's son.
Where have I seen Ali Khan before? Khan has previously had roles in series including Halo, Red Rose and Everyone Else Burns, and in films such as 6 Underground, The School for Good and Evil and A Haunting in Venice.
John Light plays Adrian Gilligan
Who is Adrian Gilligan? Adrian is Leila's boss at the CPS.
Where have I seen John Light before? Light is perhaps best-known for playing Flambeau in Father Brown, while he has also had roles in shows such as Band of Brothers, Endeavour, Holby City, Around the World in 80 Days and Murder in Provence.
John Marquez plays Alex
Who is Alex? Alex is Leila's husband.
Where have I seen John Marquez before? Marquez is best-known for playing Joe Penhale in Doc Martin, while he has also had roles in series including EastEnders, In the Club, Death in Paradise and Britannia.
Anna Wilson-Jones plays Tamara Baudin-Kenny
Who is Tamara Baudin-Kenny? Baudin-Kenny is Leila's half-sister, with whom she has a somewhat difficult relationship.
Where have I seen Anna Wilson-Jones before? Wilson-Jones has had roles in series including Spaced, Monarch of the Glen, Hex, Afterlife, Hotel Babylon, Black Mirror, Victoria, Succession, Breeders, Grantchester, Industry, Secret Invasion, Top Boy, Bridgerton, Criminal Record, The Jetty and Slow Horses.
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Francesca Annis plays Dame Harriet Kenny
Who is Dame Harriet Kenny? Dame Harriet is an academic and is Leila and Tamara's mother.
Where have I seen Francesca Annis before? Annis has had roles in series including Jane Eyre, Cranford, Home Fires and Bancroft, as well as the film King of Thieves.
Barney Fishwick plays Marcus Calderwood
Who is Marcus Calderwood? Marcus Calderwood is an acclaimed author, climate activist and the leader of campaign group Stop Climate Genocide.
Where have I seen Barney Fishwick before? Fishwick has had roles in series including Call the Midwife, The Buccaneers, Big Boys, House of the Dragon and We Might Regret This, as well as the film Living.
Showtrial season 2 is available to stream in full on BBC iPlayer now.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
