The Cuckoo cast: Who stars in the Channel 5 drama?
Jill Halfpenny stars as mysterious lodger Sian in the new four-part drama.
Channel 5 drama The Cuckoo has landed on Netflix, introducing a brand new audience to the dark thriller.
The series, which debuted on Channel 5 back in April, revolves around a married couple and their teenage daughter who relocate from the city to the countryside and take in a lodger in an attempt to ease their financial struggles.
However, as the new lodger, an artist called Sian, settles into her new place in the household, it quickly becomes clear that she isn't quite who she claims to be.
Jill Halfpenny leads the cast of The Cuckoo as Sian, while Lee Ingleby, Claire Goose and Freya Hannan-Mills also star.
But who do they all play? Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of The Cuckoo.
The Cuckoo cast: Who stars in the drama on Netflix?
Below is the main cast list for The Cuckoo on Channel 5. Read on to find out more about their individual characters, plus where you've seen the actors before.
- Jill Halfpenny as Sian
- Lee Ingleby as Nick
- Claire Goose as Jessica
- Freya Hannan-Mills as Alice
- Marjorie Yates as Aunty Fay
Jill Halfpenny plays Sian
Who is Sian? Sian is the new lodger who has moved into Nick and Jessica's new countryside home. The family have brought in a lodger to help with their financial problems but soon realise that their mysterious new live-in guest may not be who she claims.
Halfpenny previously teased that the thriller may leave viewers "screaming" at the television in an interview with RadioTimes.com.
She added: "You’ll have moments where you’re in complete disbelief watching people behave in a certain way."
Where have I seen Jill Halfpenny before? This isn't the first gripping Channel 5 drama Halfpenny has been at the helm of with recent hits like The Holiday and The Drowning under her belt. Halfpenny, of course, made waves in Byker Grove, Coronation Street and EastEnders but has more recently been seen alongside The Cuckoo co-star Lee Ingleby in ITV's The Long Shadow. She has also starred in Everything I Know About Love, Humans and Liar.
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Claire Goose plays Jessica
Who is Jessica? Jessica and Nick have moved back with daughter Alice to the countryside home that Jessica grew up in but it's in need of some TLC. In need of some financial help, Jessica decides to take in a lodger but soon, things start to go awry.
Where have I seen Claire Goose before? Goose is best known for her roles in Casualty and The Bill, in which she starred Rachel Weston from 2008 to 2010. She has also starred in The Coroner, Unforgotten, Mount Pleasant and more recently, in ITV's The Bay.
Marjorie Yates plays Aunty Fay
Who is Aunty Fay? Aunty Fay is Sian's aunt who has a complicated relationship with her niece.
Where have I seen Marjorie Yates before? Yates is best known for her role as Carol Fisher in Shameless but has also appeared in Casualty, Doctors, Heartbeat and Damned.
Lee Ingleby plays Nick
Who is Nick? Nick and Jessica have recently gone through their fair share of troubles but are hoping a move to the countryside is the anecdote to their problems. He's got a new job and doesn't really want to take in a new lodger, but soon starts growing suspicious of Sian's intentions.
Where have I seen Lee Ingleby before? If you're a fan of crime dramas, you'll undoubtedly recognise Ingleby for his roles in numerous ones over the years including Inspector George Gently, Line of Duty, The Hunt For Raoul Moat and Criminal: UK. He has more recently starred in Screw and The Long Shadow where he played real-life detective Jim Hobson.
Freya Hannan-Mills plays Alice
Who is Alice? Alice is the teenage daughter of Jessica and Nick and along with her parents, has had to adjust to life in a smaller town after living in a big city and going to private school. She's a bit of an outsider, but finds solace in drawing.
Where have I seen Freya Hannan-Mills before? Hannan-Mills has previously featured in Doctors, Whitstable Pearl and Swimming Home.
The Cuckoo is available to watch now on Netflix – sign up from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Drama or Film 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
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
