While the first season was inspired by true events, this latest chapter is entirely fictional but still draws on the historic violence that Nottingham has seen in years gone by.
“I always feel the weight of that responsibility,” explained Graham. “I want to get that right and handle that sensitively and to convey the truth of what it must feel like to live through a difficult time, in this case an outbreak of gun violence.”
The playwright and screenwriter, also known for Brexit: The Uncivil War and ITV’s Quiz, said he felt “pressure” while working on the second season as he didn’t want to let down viewers who loved Sherwood’s debut.
Fortunately, that has not happened, with our Sherwood season 2 review declaring that he has “struck gold” with the latest episodes, which boast high-profile cast additions in Monica Dolan and David Harewood.
The synopsis reads: “Set in the present day, it introduces two new families that find themselves entangled with the Sparrows, entering a complex web of local gangs, old rivalries, revenge and betrayal.
“Meanwhile, a newly appointed sheriff of Nottingham is passionately fighting against a proposed new mine for the area, which brings the promise of much needed jobs and prosperity, but also unwelcome reminders of the legacy that has mired the community for so long.”
Read on for everything you need to know about the Sherwood season 2 cast as well as the biggest names from the first instalment.
Sherwood cast: Full list of characters and actors in season 2
The full cast list for Sherwood season 2 is as follows, but scroll on to find out more about the main characters, plus where you’ve seen them previously.
- David Morrissey as Ian St Clair
- Lesley Manville as Julie Jackson
- Lorraine Ashbourne as Daphne Sparrow
- Bill Jones as Ronan Sparrow
- Perry Fitzpatrick as Rory Sparrow
- Philip Jackson as Mickey Sparrow
- Ria Zmitrowicz as Lisa Waters
- Sharlene Whyte as Pam Bottomley
- Bethany Asher as Stephie Bottomley
- Oliver Huntingdon as Ryan Bottomley
- David Harewood as Denis Bottomley
- Aisling Loftus as Sandy Waters
- Robert Emms as Samuel Warner
- Monica Dolan as Ann Branson
- Stephen Dillane as Roy Branson
- Robert Lindsay as Franklin Warner
- Christine Bottomley as Rachel Crossley
- Michael Balogun as Harry Summers
- Jorden Myrie as Marcus Clarke
- Conor Deane as Kyre Branson
David Morrissey plays Ian St Clair
Who is Ian St Clair? A former high-ranking police officer in Nottingham, Ian has now turned his sights on heading up a Violence Intervention Team and is no longer part of the police force.
He’s working on bringing social services together in order to prevent people turning to a life of crime, but his new role is proving difficult, especially when he feels the tug of his familiar policing role.
Morrissey told the BBC: “Ian is outside of the police force now, and he’s very critical of it. Of course, he still has colleagues and friends inside the force and he’s also still a valuable person as far as the police are concerned.
“I think he feels compromised because he doesn’t really want to be back inside the police force.”
Where have I seen David Morrissey before? Morrissey obviously starred in Sherwood season 1, but is also known for roles in The Walking Dead, The Other Boleyn Girl, Blitz, Welcome to the Punch, Britannia and, in recent years, The Singapore Grip, Good Omens, The Missing and The League of Gentlemen. He has most recently starred in BBC’s Daddy Issues.
Lesley Manville plays Julie Jackson
Who is Julie Jackson? Julie’s husband Gary Jackson was killed in season 1, and now she’s navigating life in Ashfield on her own – but strikes up quite the budding relationship with Ian.
On Ian’s relationship with Julie, Morrissey told : “How it grows and what it becomes is a different thing but at the moment, it’s about love but also her representing a ballast for him.
“I think he gets to a place of… a little contentment and hope. He definitely gets to that. But he’s quite a cautious person.”
Where have I seen Lesley Manville before? The Oscar-nominated actress is known for the likes of Phantom Thread (as Cyril), Another Year, Maleficent, Life After Life and The Crown. She has more recently starred in Back to Black and Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, and is set to star in both Ryan Murphy’s Grotesquerie and a Margaret Thatcher biopic.
Lorraine Ashbourne plays Daphne Sparrow
Who is Daphne Sparrow? While we just thought Daphne was a crime family matriarch in season 1, she was revealed to be the ‘spy cop’ at the end of season 1. Now, she must reckon with the fallout of that revelation and also going back into the criminal world to protect her loved ones.
“In the first series, it was all about having to hold everything in and hide emotionally and keep things very, very close to my chest with the family,” Ashbourne explained to the BBC.
“This series she is out in the world a lot more, she is still having to hide but she has to start to open up and confront her past and she’s come to the end of the road in terms of someone knowing her secret.
“Series 2 is very much about the unravelling of Daphne and the fight for her family.”
Where have I seen Lorraine Ashbourne before? Her CV includes Bridgerton, Alma’s Not Normal, The Crown, Cheat, Unforgotten, Jericho and more.
Philip Jackson plays Mickey Sparrow
Who is Mickey Sparrow? Mickey is Daphne’s loving husband, and together the pair ran a drug operation, which they concealed behind their taxi business and archery range.
Where have I seen Philip Jackson before? He has appeared in The Good Karma Hospital, Boomers, Peterloo, Raised by Wolves, Poirot and more.
Perry Fitzpatrick plays Rory Sparrow
Who is Rory Sparrow? Rory Sparrow is Daphne and Micky’s eldest son, who is also involved with the family business.
Where have I seen Perry Fitzpatrick before? Fitzpatrick is known for his roles in Line of Duty, Drifters, Hullraisers and This Is England ’86 and This Is England ’90. He has more recently starred in Without Sin and Man Like Mobeen.
Bill Jones plays Ronan Sparrow
Who is Ronan Sparrow? Ronan is the youngest member of the Sparrow family. He was romantically involved with Cinderella in season 1, but now must reckon with finding out secrets about his family and being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Where have I seen Bill Jones before? He has appeared in Peter Moffat’s BBC series The Village, as well as Casualty and Doctors.
Sharlene Whyte plays Pam Bottomley
Who is Pam Bottomley? Pam is the adoptive mother of Stephie and Ryan after the loss of her husband (and their father) some time ago. She’s a woman who has strong family values, no matter what problems may arise with her children.
Sharlene describes Pam and Denis as “ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances” and says that their stories “represent the social issues of drugs and addiction in Britain today”, particularly regarding vulnerable young people.
Where have I seen Sharlene Whyte before? Whyte is known for her roles in The Story of Tracy Beaker, Stephen and Small Axe. She has also starred in We Hunt Together and Waterloo Road.
David Harewood plays Denis Bottomley
Who is Denis Bottomley? Denis is Pam’s brother who, along with his small family, has his life turned upside down when tragedy strikes, and they must deal with the new normal they find themselves in.
“There are a lot of people, generations in fact, that were impacted by the decisions to close the mines,” he told the BBC. “I think our characters represent the people who just got caught up in that and out of deprivation came crime.
“Subsequently, those people who’ve been impacted by that have really suffered and generations of people have suffered through no fault of their own.”
Where have I seen David Harewood before? The actor and presenter is known for his starring roles in Homeland, Supergirl and The Night Manager. He has also presented many documentaries, including David Harewood on Blackface and David Harewood: My Psychosis and Me.
Bethany Asher plays Stephie Bottomley
Who is Stephie Bottomley? Stephie is Pam’s daughter who enjoys nothing more than downtime with her mother and uncle, but also deeply cares for her brother Ryan, even though he no longer lives with them.
Where have I seen Bethany Asher before? Asher has previously starred in Wild Bill, The Dumping Ground and Doctors.
Oliver Huntingdon plays Ryan Bottomley
Who is Ryan Bottomley? Ryan is Stephie’s older brother who is a bit of a victim of the lack of opportunities in his area and still reeling from the loss of his father. He’s turned to a life of drug dealing and gangs, but goes even further down the wrong path after committing a terrible crime.
Huntingdon explained: “He’s someone that has been lost in the system. When we first meet him, the viewer is thrown straight into the very dark and serious phase of his life but as things progress we start to see how he has ended up there and why he is the person that he has become.”
Where have I seen Oliver Huntingdon before? You’ll likely recognise Huntingdon for his role in Happy Valley’s final season as Ivan Sertic, but the actor has also starred in The Rising, Silent Witness, The End of the F***ing World and Grantchester.
Monica Dolan and Stephen Dillane play Ann and Roy Branson
Who are Ann and Roy Branson? The Bransons run a drugs cartel in Ashfield – and are powerful people, to say the least. They know everyone and manage to stay one step ahead of most, but have some long-standing rivalries with many. When tragedy strikes, though, they are out for revenge.
Monica Dolan said of her character: “She has absolute self-confidence. I don’t know if it’s because she’s had her husband’s support since she was so young, but she really trusts herself.
“There aren’t many people, even in life, that have that self-belief and the knowledge and intuition of what to do next when they’re faced with something.”
Where have I seen Monica Dolan before? Dolan is best known for her roles in W1A, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, and A Very English Scandal. More recently, Dolan has starred in Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Black Mirror and The Change.
Where have I seen Stephen Dillane before? Dillane is perhaps best known for his role as Stannis Baratheon in Game of Thrones, but other TV roles include John Adams, The Tunnel, Alex Rider and Vigil.
Ria Zmitrowicz and Aisling Loftus play Lisa and Sandy Waters
Who are Lisa and Sandy Waters? A married couple who both work in local Nottinghamshire government, Lisa is the newly appointed sheriff of Nottingham who is passionately fighting against plans for a new coal mine, while Sandy works in social services and often helps care for Stephie.
Where have I seen Ria Zmitrowicz before? Zmitrowicz’s TV credits include Youngers, Mr Selfridge and Three Girls. More recently, she has starred in The Power.
Where have I seen Aisling Loftus before? Loftus has starred in Mr Selfridge, A Discovery of Witches and The Midwich Cuckoos. She has also starred in Broken and War & Peace.
Robert Emms and Robert Lindsay play Samuel and Franklin Warner
Who are Samuel and Franklin Warner? The wealthy Warner family are quite influential in Nottingham, and so it’s no surprise that they are behind the recent plans for a brand new coal mine in the area.
Where have I seen Robert Emms before? Emms is best known for his roles in Chernobyl, Line of Duty and Atlantis, as well as Four Lives, Andor and The Reckoning.
Where have I seen Robert Lindsay before? The multi award-winning actor has starred in various productions over the years, but is best known for his roles in My Family, Jericho, Spy, Bull and Atlantis.
Christine Bottomley plays Rachel Crossley
Who is Rachel Crossley? Rachel finds herself caught up in the drama of the Sparrows after meeting with Ronan, who uncovers who she really is.
Where have I seen Christine Bottomley before? Bottomley has starred in Early Doors, Hope Springs, The End of the F***ing World and Back to Life. She is also known for her roles in Domina and The Nest, and is also set to star in Channel 5’s The Wives.
Michael Balogun plays Harry Summers
Who is Harry Summers? Harry is the new DCS who has taken over Ian St Clair’s role, but is hiding his own secrets which threaten to rear their head with the tragic case that lands on his desk.
Where have I seen Michael Balogun before? Balogun has starred in Top Boy, War of the Worlds and You Don’t Know Me.
Sherwood season 1 cast
Robert Glenister plays Detective Inspector Kevin Salisbury
Who is DI Kevin Salisbury? A metropolitan police officer nearing the end of his career.
“Probably the last thing he wants is to be is to be sent to Nottingham, which has memories and echoes of things past. But this huge investigation comes up and he has no choice – either he goes or he’s going to be forced to retire,” Robert Glenister says of his on-screen character.
Where have I seen Robert Glenister before? He’s perhaps best known for starring in the likes of Hustle and Spooks (as the Home Secretary), and in recent years has appeared in Strike, Suspicion, Isolation Stories, Curfew, Cold Feet, and The Aeronauts.
Adeel Akhtar plays Andy Fisher
Who is Andy Fisher? A train driver born and bred in Nottingham, and the father of the groom, Neel, in episode 1.
Where have I seen Adeel Akhtar before? You might recognise the actor from Sweet Tooth on Netflix, or as Lestrade in Enola Holmes. He’s also known for Four Lions, Utopia, The Big Sick, Killing Eve, Back to Life, and Les Misérables (the BBC One version).
Joanne Froggatt plays Sarah Vincent
Who is Sarah Vincent? She’s campaigning to be a local councillor, and is engaged to Neel Fisher.
“Sarah is campaigning to be the local councillor so she’s very politically aware,” Joanne Froggatt explains. “Her political views differ from the bulk of her community because she is campaigning as a Conservative in a predominantly working-class area, a hard Labour constituency. Ashfield has a history with mining and was hugely impacted in the ’80s by Thatcher and the miners’ strikes.”
Where have I seen Joanne Froggatt before? Downton Abbey fans will instantly recognise Froggatt as the ladies maid Anna Smith, later Anna Bates, in the ITV series Downton Abbey and its subsequent spin-off films. She’s also appeared in Angela Black (in the title role), Liar, The Harrowing, and The Commons.
Claire Rushbrook plays Cathy Rowley
Who is Cathy Rowley? She is Julie’s sister. The pair no longer have a relationship due to the fallout from the strike.
Where have I seen Claire Rushbrook before? She recently appeared in Sky series Temple and BBC comedy Don’t Forget the Driver. Her CV also includes No Offence, Kiri, Requiem and My Mad Fat Diary, among others.
Kevin Doyle plays Fred Rowley
Who is Fred Rowley? Fred is Cathy’s husband. He used to be a miner and now suffers from a lung condition following his time in the pits.
Where have I seen Kevin Doyle before? He is best known for Downton Abbey.
Adam Hugill plays Scott Rowley
Who is Scott Rowley? He is Fred’s son and Cathy’s step-son, who was due to begin a stint in prison for fraud. Scott is the prime suspect in the murder of Gary Jackson.
Where have I seen Adam Hugill before? He appeared in fantasy police series The Watch.
Alun Armstrong plays Gary Jackson
Who is Gary Jackson? A former striking miner who is unexpectedly murdered in episode 1.
Where have I seen Alun Armstrong before? He played Mr Hafez in The Mummy Returns, and is also known for playing Cardinal Jinette in the Van Helsing franchise, Uncle Garrow from Eragon, and the High Constable from Sleepy Hollow. More recently he has starred in the likes of Breeders and Year of the Rabbit, while is he also well known for his long-running role in New Tricks.
Sean Gilder plays Dean Simmonds
Who is Dean Simmonds? Dean Simmons is a former miner who continued working during the strike, which earned him the nickname “Scab”.
Where have I see Sean Gilder before? He has appeared in Shameless, Our Girl, White House Farm and Poldark, among others.
Bally Gill plays Neel Fisher
Who is Neel Fisher? Sarah Vincent’s fiancé, and the son of local train driver Andy Fisher.
Where have I seen Bally Gill before? The stage and screen actor is probably best known for Wanderlust, Slow Horses, Manhunt, and This Is Going to Hurt.
Lance O’Reilly-Chapman and Safia Oakley-Green play Lance and Cinderella
Who are Lance and Cinderella? Lance and Cinderella are Julie and Gary’s grandchildren. Cinderella is dating the youngest member of the Sparrow family, Ronan.
Where have I seen Lance O’Reilly-Chapman and Safia Oakley-Green before? Sherwood is O’Reilly-Chapman’s most notable role to date. Oakley-Green has appeared in The Colour Room.
Terence Maynard plays Sergeant Cleaver
Who is Sergeant Cleaver? Sergeant Cleaver is working alongside DCS Ian St Clair in the investigation into Gary Jackson’s murder.
Where have I seen Terence Maynard before? You’ll recognise him from Coronation Street, in which he played Tony Stewart.
Don Gilet plays Jacob Harris
Who is Jacob Harris? Jenny’s husband and friend of Ian St Clair. The pair trained to be police officers together.
Where have I seen Don Gilet before? Gilet is perhaps best known for his roles in BBC dramas Babyfather, 55 Degrees north and EastEnders, in which he played preacher-turned-murderer Lucas Johnson. He has also appeared in other TV series including The Doll Maker, Broke and Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.
Stephen Tompkinson plays Warnock
Who is Warnock? A former miner and friend of Gary’s. Gary confided in him about the undercover police officer he was investigating.
Where have I seen Stephen Tompkinson before? The actor is perhaps best known for his role in 1996 British comedy-drama film Brassed Off as well as Channel 4 TV sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey. More recently, he has appeared in a number of TV series including The Bay and The Other One.
Nadine Marshall plays Jenny Harris
Who is Jenny Harris? A headmistress of a local school. Jenny used to be romantically involved with Kevin when he first arrived on the scene to police the strike.
Where have I seen Nadine Marshall before? Marshall has appeared in a host of popular TV series in recent years such as Trigger Point, Dodger and Time.
Clare Holman plays Helen St Clair
Who is Helen St Clair? Helen St Clair is married to Ian St Clair and worked with Sarah Vincent. We also learn that her mother worked for the National Coal Board and she has her own police file, which is restricted. In episode 4, she informs Kevin that Helen is not her real name.
Where have I seen Clare Holman before? She’s best known for her role as Dr Laura Hobson in Inspector Morse and its spin-off Lewis.
Mark Frost plays Martin St Clair
Who is Martin St Clair? Ian’s estranged brother. Their relationship was fractured by the miners’ strike.
Where have I seen Mark Frost before? He has appeared in Coronation Street, Hetty Feather, Rocket’s Island, Poldark and more.
Christopher Fairbank plays Bill Raggett
Who is Bill Raggett? Bill Raggett is one of five undercover police officers who were drafted in to spy on Gary Jackson and co back in the ’80s.
Where have I seen Christopher Fairbank before? He is best known for Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
Mark Addy plays Ron St Clair
Who is Ron St Clair? He is Ian and Mark’s father and one of the striking miners.
Where have I seen Mark Addy before? He has appeared in The Full Monty, Game of Thrones, ITV crime drama White House Farm, BBC fantasy drama Atlantis, BBC’s The Syndicate and more.
Lindsay Duncan plays Jennifer Hale
Who is Jennifer Hale? Jennifer Hale is a retired solicitor who works pro bono for organisations such as the National Union of Mineworkers.
Where have I seen Lindsay Duncan before? She has enjoyed an extensive career in film, TV and theatre. Her most recent projects include A Discovery of Witches, The Leftovers, Close to the Enemy and The Honourable Woman.
Pip Torrens plays Commissioner Charles Dawes
Who is Commissioner Charles Dawes? He is the MET police commissioner who gives Bill Raggett’s contact details to Kevin.
Where have I seen Pip Torrens before? His CV includes HBO/Sk Atlantic’s The Nevers, AMC’s Preacher, Netflix’s The Crown and BBC drama Poldark.
Sherwood season 2 launches with a bank holiday double bill on Sunday 25th August and Monday 26th August at 9pm, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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 Podcast.
