Meet the cast of No Offence series 3

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Here are the cast and characters you need to meet:

Joanna Scanlan plays DI Viv Deering

Who is DI Viv Deering? The boss. "I love Deering," says Joanna Scanlan. "She can do no wrong in my book. I wish I was her! When I grow up I want to be Viv Deering. I want to be cool, to have insight, intelligence, be someone who can laugh at herself, make mistakes and pick herself up. Deering is human and superhuman at the same time."

Where have I seen Joanna Scanlan before? She is best known for her roles as the useless Terri Coverley in The Thick of It and Sister Den Flixter in Getting On. Recently she has appeared as Mrs Vesey in The Woman in White, Sandra in Hold the Sunset, and Janice Gay in Requiem.

Elaine Cassidy plays DC Dinah Kowalska

Who is DC Dinah Kowalska? A brainy, impulsive and passionate member of the team, who is married to the team. Joy is her best friend.

Where have I seen Elaine Cassidy before? You might have seen her in BBC’s The Paradise (As Katherine Weston) or in the CBS horror series Harper’s Island (as Abby Mills). Her other credits include Felicia's Journey, Disco Pigs and the music video for Coldplay's The Scientist.

Alexandra Roach plays DS Joy Freers

Who is DS Joy Freers? A very astute detective, although she doesn't have much self-confidence.

Where have I seen Alexandra Roach before? Back in 2011 she played a young Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Since then she's been in the TV series Utopia and has also appeared in Hunderby, Hold the Sunset, Black Mirror, and Testament of Youth.

Will Mellor plays DC Spike Tanner

Who is DC Spike Tanner? Deering's number two. A very driven detective, he works well with the team to get the job done and the bad guys behind bars.

Where have I seen Will Mellor before? The actor is perhaps best known for playing Gaz in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. He was Steve Connolly in Broadchurch, Jambo Bolton in Hollyoaks, and Ollie in White Van Man. Other credits include In with the Flynns, Line of Duty, and In the Club.

Paul Ritter plays Police Doctor Randolph Miller

Who is Randolph Miller? An invaluable member of the Friday Street team, and a bit of a maverick. He is a divorced doctor who is Deering's longest-serving colleague, and he can turn his hand to pretty much anything. "He’s brilliantly patient, he can be terribly rude and awfully patronising but he is sweet and he does care about people," Paul Ritter says. "And if they were genuinely on their arse he would be the first to pick them up."

Where have I seen Paul Ritter before? You may recognise him as Eldred Worple from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, a vampire expert who once begged to write the boy wizard's biography. A star of stage and screen, his credits include Hang Ups, Friday Night Dinner, Cold Feet, Electric Dreams, and Vera.

Tom Varey plays PC Stuart O'Connell

Who is PC Stuart O'Connell? A youngster on the Friday Street team, Stuart is cool, smart and switched-on with plenty of ambition.

Where have I seen Tom Varey before? He appeared as Cley Cerwyn in Game of Thrones episode The Winds of Winter, and plays Will Simpson in Ackley Bridge. In the ITV mini-series Dark Angel he played Billy Mowbray.

Saira Choudhry plays PC Tegan Thompson

Who is PC Tegan Thompson? Tough, ambitious and brave, Tegan doesn't suffer fools gladly. Her partner on the Force is Stuart, and the two of them bicker, tease, laugh and fight - but Tegan is the one ultimately wearing the trousers in this relationship.

Where have I seen Saira Choudhry before? The actress starred as Anita Roy in Hollyoaks until 2011. Since then she's appeared in Cold Feet, Coronation Street, and Fungus the Bogeyman.

Claire Rushbrook plays Superintendent Marilyn Marchant

Who is Marilyn Marchant? "What you see is what you get," says Claire Rushbrook. Marilyn Marchant is a Detective Superintendent, and a solid, straight, warm and sincere boss with exceptionally high expectations of her team. While she has respect and admiration for Viv Deering, she does have some concerns about her employees' rogue decisions and tactics.

Where have I seen Claire Rushbrook before? Recent projects have included Requim, The Split, National Treasure: Kiri, Genius and Black Mirror. She was Pat Simms in cult favourite Home Fires, and played Rae's mum in My Mad Fat Diary.

Ste Johnston plays PC Jonah Mitchell

Who is PC Jonah Mitchell? A Friday Street favourite, who has the trust of everyone in the station.

Where have I seen Ste Johnston before? He voiced Troy in Fungus The Bogeyman appeared in Evil Bread and The Snarling.

Sharon Rooney plays Faye Caddy

Who is Faye Caddy? "Faye isn't a very nice girl," Sharon Rooney says, and that's putting it mildly. She's a right-wing, Islamophobic extremist alongside her big brother Dennis Caddy (Neil Maskell) and "her bark is just as bad as her bite."

Where have I seen Sharon Rooney before? The Scottish actress, who joins No Offence for series 3, actually starred alongside Claire Rushbrook in My Mad Fat Diary as Rae Earl. You may also have seen her playing Sophie in Two Doors Down, Dawn in Brief Encounters, or Kiki Stones in The Tunnel.

Lisa McGrillis plays Caroline McCoy

Who is Caroline McCoy? A grassroots politician and an unlikely mayoral candidate for Manchester. She actually grew up on the Cinderly estate, and her mum was best friends with Viv Deering – so now Caroline's mum is dead, Viv looks out for her.

Where have I seen Lisa McGrillis before? The actress plays Kelly in the TV series Mum, but she is perhaps best known for her role as Rachel Coles in Inspector George Gently.

No Offence will return on Thursday 13th September at 9pm on Channel 4

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