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The Dark cast: Who stars in the ITV serial killer thriller?

Your essential guide to the cast of The Dark.

Detective Monica Kennedy stands on a grassy hill, wearing a coat, on a grey cloudy day, while glancing over her shoulder

Poison Pen Studios / ITV

Published: Sunday, 12 July 2026 at 7:00 pm

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The Dark is a six-part ITV thriller led by Laura Donnelly and Mark Rowley.

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Adapted from GR Halliday's 2020 novel From the Shadows, the series follows Detective Monica Kennedy as she hunts a serial killer who is staging bodies across the remote Scottish Highlands.

"When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community," reads the official synopsis.

"As paranoia rises, suspicions and secrets are forced into the light, and the locals start to realise that there is a serial killer hidden amongst them."

Donnelly, best known for Outlander, is joined by a stellar supporting cast including Helen Baxendale, Emun Elliott, Stella Gonet, Tunji Kasim and Catherine McCormack.

Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of The Dark and the characters they play.

For more information about the characters and where you've seen the people who play them before, read on.

Laura Donnelly as DI Monica Kennedy

A person wearing a dark purple waterproof jacket walks through a misty, grassy hillside landscape bordered by blue-and-white police tape. Rolling hills and dense pine trees fade into low cloud in the background, creating a bleak, overcast atmosphere. Another figure in a white forensic suit is partially visible behind them, suggesting an active crime scene investigation.

Laura Donnelly as Detective Monica Kennedy. ITV

Who is DI Monica Kennedy? Monica Kennedy is a driven, guarded detective raising her young daughter Lucy while pursuing the case of her career. Beneath a stoic police persona she carries considerable shame and a complicated past, and her return to a rural community she once investigated stirs up old wounds as the killings escalate.

Where you've seen Laura Donnelly before: Donnelly played Jenny Fraser Murray across the first three seasons of Outlander, and has since taken key roles in Sky's Britannia, HBO's The Nevers, Hulu's Say Nothing and Marvel's Werewolf by Night, where she played reluctant monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone. The Dark marks her first time playing a detective.

Mark Rowley as DC Connor Crawford

A person in a long dark green coat walks through a muddy industrial yard, glancing back over their shoulder while holding a notebook or folder at their side. Puddles cover the ground, with stacks of metal and industrial equipment blurred in the background, creating a damp, overcast setting with a tense, investigative mood.

Mark Rowley as Detective Connor Crawford. ITV

Who is DC Connor Crawford? Charismatic and easy-going, Crawford is a gym-loving detective whose macho exterior hides a highly intuitive, emotionally intelligent copper. New to murder cases, he chips away at Monica's defences with humour and persistence, and the pair gradually build a bond rooted in mutual respect.

Where you've seen Mark Rowley before: Rowley is known for Karen Pirie, Trigger Point and The Last Kingdom.

Helen Baxendale as Bethany Morgan

Helen Baxendale as Bethany Morgan standing outside on a grey day and holding a rifle in her hands, looking stressed as she also wears a gilet and shirt.

Helen Baxendale as Bethany Morgan in The Dark. ITV Studios / Mark Mainz

Who is Bethany Morgan? Bethany is a deeply religious mother of two young men living in an isolated, austere farmhouse. Controlled by her husband Barclay and mourning one missing son, she is pushed to action when tragedy strikes again, revealing a steelier side than her meek exterior suggests.

Where you've seen Helen Baxendale before: Baxendale is best known as Rachel in Cold Feet and as Emily Waltham in Friends, and has more recently appeared in Noughts + Crosses and Cuckoo.

Emun Elliott as Barclay Adams

A bearded person wearing a grey quilted jacket and dark work trousers walks briskly across a car park while talking on a mobile phone. One hand is in their pocket, and trees, shrubs and a low white wall frame the background, creating the feel of a quiet residential or business property.

Emun Elliott as Barclay Adams in The Dark. ITV

Who is Barclay Adams? Barclay is Bethany's intimidating husband, a tough man of the land involved in low-level criminal enterprises. Stepfather to her sons, he distrusts the police who failed to find his missing stepson and would rather take justice into his own hands, making him an immediate suspect.

Where you've seen Emun Elliott before: Elliott's credits include The Gold, Guilt and Sexy Beast.

Tunji Kasim as Michael Bach

A person wearing a grey vest, beige cargo trousers and sandals walks outdoors wrapped in a dark striped dressing gown. They pass a low stone wall with stacked wooden pallets beside it, under an overcast sky, with open countryside visible in the background. Their serious expression and casual clothing create a sense of urgency or unease.

Tunji Kasim as Michael Bach in The Dark. ITV

Who is Michael Bach? Michael is a jaded social worker who once turned to the profession to help vulnerable young men after his brother's death. Disillusioned by a failing system, he first crossed paths with Monica years earlier over a missing young man, and their reunion finds him a very different figure.

Where you've seen Tunji Kasim before: The Scottish-Nigerian actor played Ned Nickerson across all four seasons of Nancy Drew and Adolphus, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. His other credits include Shetland and Cold Feet.

Stella Gonet plays Angela Kennedy

Stella Gonet plays Caroline Sturgess in The Salisbury Poisonings

Stella Gonet plays Angela Kennedy in The Dark.

Who is Angela Kennedy? Angela is Monica's warm, funny mother, a keen cook and devourer of true-crime documentaries who helps care for granddaughter Lucy. Her closeness can feel claustrophobic to Monica, and the pair hold conflicting memories of Monica's late father.

Where you've seen Stella Gonet before: Gonet's credits include The Salisbury Poisonings and Breeders.

Catherine McCormack plays Gloria MacLennan

A person wearing a brown quilted jacket, striped high-neck top and dark sleeveless fleece stands outside a portable site office with their hands in their pockets. A sign for "MacLennan Timber" is mounted on the wall behind them, and their focused expression suggests they are watching or waiting in an industrial worksite setting.

Catherine McCormack plays Gloria MacLennan in The Dark. ITV

Who is Gloria MacLennan? She runs the saw mill, and her son has spent time in prison.

Where you've seen Catherine McCormack before: McCormack made her name as Murron MacClannough in Braveheart, and has since appeared in Dangerous Beauty, Spy Game, 28 Weeks Later and, more recently, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth.

Rona Morison plays Philly

A person with long auburn hair stands inside a dimly lit venue, wearing a black shearling-lined jacket and a multicoloured knitted scarf. They look off to one side with a tense, thoughtful expression, while dark curtains and the edge of a projection screen in the background suggest a cinema, theatre or community hall.

Rona Morison plays Philly in The Dark. ITV

Who is Philly? "She has a relationship with a strange woman who comes into her life called Philly, but you can't work out what’s going on there, it's certainly not a sexual relationship, but what could they possibly have in common?" said Donnelly.

What else has Rona Morrison been in? Her credits include Our Ladies and Macbeth.

Cal MacAninch plays Stephen Wright

Inside a warmly lit pub, a grey-haired person in a brown jacket sits at a wooden table facing another person whose back is to the camera. Their expression is serious and focused, while another figure stands in the open doorway behind them. A grandfather clock and a large taxidermy bear in the background add to the distinctive, slightly unsettling atmosphere.

Cal MacAninch plays Stephen Wright in The Dark. ITV

Who is Stephen Wright? Stephen works at the local saw mill and has history with Bethany.

What else has Cal MacAninch been in? You might know him from Holby Blue, Trigger Point, Vigil and Mr Selfridge, among others.

Jatinder Singh Randhawa plays DC Ewan Dhillon

Laura Donnelly as DI Monica Kennedy stands beside a marked police car, speaking with a uniformed police officer and another man in a wooded area in The Dark.

The Dark. ITV

Who is DC Ewan Dhillon? A slightly awkward, bumbling detective also assigned to the case.

What else has Jatinder Singh Randhawa been in? He has appeared in The Control Room and Crime.

Phil McKee plays Don Cameron

A red-bearded person wearing a dark jacket and brown work vest hands a folded hessian sack to another person whose back is to the camera. They stand in a car park beside a silver pickup truck, with tall green hedges in the background, suggesting a practical exchange taking place outdoors.

Phil McKee plays Don Cameron in The Dark. ITV

Who is Don Cameron? "He is suspected to be behind a few cold cases" – and is naturally a suspect in Monica's investigation. "Connor goes to the gym all the time, and he drinks protein shakes," said executive producer Ben Stephenson. "The opposite of Monica's thinking. But over the course of the series, you discover they both have more in common than you think."

What else has Phil McKee been in? You might know him from The Rig, Professor T and Jekyll and Hyde, among others.

Brian Ferguson plays Kyle Ward

Two people walk side by side along a woodland path surrounded by lush green trees and ferns. One wears a blue blazer and burgundy jumper while looking at a smartphone, and the other wears a dark purple jacket over a burgundy top, looking thoughtfully ahead. Their serious expressions and quiet conversation suggest they are discussing something important as they move through the forest.

Brian Ferguson plays Kyle Ward in The Dark. ITV

Who is Kyle Ward? The headmaster of the local high school, which his daughter attends.

What else has Brian Ferguson been in? Rebus, The Ipcress File and The Victim.

Emily Mac plays Tammy Ward

A young person with blonde hair tied back sits against a tree in a sunlit woodland, wearing a black leather jacket over a light grey hooded sweatshirt. They look off into the distance with a pensive, slightly anxious expression, while the softly blurred green forest around them creates a quiet, reflective atmosphere.

Emily Mac plays Tammy Ward in The Dark. ITV

Who is Tammy Ward? Kyle's daughter. She works at the local pub.

What else has Emily Mac been in? This is her first major TV role.

Liam King plays Scott MacKay

A young person with curly hair walks alone along a narrow path through a dense conifer forest, wearing a grey jacket layered over a hooded sweatshirt and checked shirt. With their hands in their pockets and a serious expression, they move beneath the tall trees, while the dim light and shadowy woodland create a quiet, isolated atmosphere.

Liam King plays Scott MacKay in The Dark. ITV

Who is Scott Mackay? He works for Don and lives largely on protein shakes.

What else has Liam King been in? King has appeared in multiple theatre shows, but this appears to be his first TV role.

Jack Hesketh plays Owen MacLennan

A young blond person stands by a frosted window inside a modest office or staff room, looking outside with a worried expression. Beside them, an older person wearing a dark fleece over a brown jacket gently holds the front of their cardigan in a reassuring gesture. The subdued lighting and sparse surroundings create a quiet, intimate moment of comfort and concern.

Jack Hesketh plays Owen MacLennan in The Dark. ITV

Who is Owen MacLennan? Gloria's son. He's already spent time in prison for a violent crime, and he finds himself on the police's radar once again following a spate of recent murders.

What else has Jack Hesketh been in? His credits include Crime and Karen Pirie.

Additional cast:

The Dark premieres on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 12 July 2026, with the second episode following on Monday 13 July.

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Authors

A head and shoulders shot of Abby Robinson. She is in front of a grey background, looking at the camera and smiling. She wears a black zipped-up jacket with an elaborate gold and maroon design

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.

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