The Cuckoo episode 1 cast: Who stars in the Channel 5 drama?
The Cuckoo follows Sian, a woman who inserts herself in the lives of Nick and Jessica as she moves into their home as a lodger.
Sian quickly causes trouble for the married couple and their adopted daughter Alice. The trio have moved to their dream home in the country but due to a financial crisis, they are forced to take in a lodger to help pay for their mortgage.
From becoming close with Nick to forming an inappropriate relationship with Alice, it's not long before Jessica realises Sian is not who she claimed to be. Can the family overcome the chaos Sian causes?
As The Cuckoo airs on Channel 5 this week, OK! looks at the cast.
Who is in the cast of The Cuckoo?
Sian - Jill Halfpenny
Sian is brought in as a lodger who should help with Nick and Jessica's finances. However, she causes more problems than anything else. Who is Sian and why is she so keen on getting close to Nick?
Fans will instantly recognise actress Jill Halfpenny, 48, from previous roles in Coronation Street as Rebecca Hopkins and EastEnders as Kate Mitchell. She spoke to OK! about the role and revealed she insisted on taking the part of an intruder.
"In the initial chats, they were thinking I would be playing Jessica, the person on the receiving end of this drama. It was me who said, ‘Actually, can I play Sian? Can I be the person doing all this stuff, because that seems like more fun,'" she told us.
Nick - Lee Ingleby
Nick is married to Jessica and the pair think they finally have the life they want in their dream home in the country with adopted daughter Alice. But when Sian moves in and gets close to Nick, could he be tempted to betray Jessica?
Lee Ingleby, 48, is best known for his role as Detective Inspector John Bacchus in Inspector George Gently. The actor from Burnley has also appeared in The Long Shadow, Criminal, Innocent and The A Word.
Jessica - Claire Goose
Jessica thinks her life with Nick and Alice is perfect. That is, until a financial crisis means they may be forced to give up their dream home. Determined not to lose the house, she suggests bringing in Sian as a lodger - but it's not long before she starts to regret her decision.
Actress Claire Goose, from Edinburgh, has previously starred in Murdoch Mysteries, The Bay, Unforgotten and even Death in Paradise.
Alice - Freya Hannan-Mills
Alice is the daughter of Nick and Jessica and is considered a bit of a recluse. However, when Sian moves into the family home, they start to form an inappropriate friendship.
This is Freya Hannan-Mills' first major TV role having previous starred in short films and one episode of Doctors i n 2017. She also popped up in Whitstable Pearl for one episode in 2021.
