We'll be returning to the scenic shores of Morecambe for series 5 of The Bay. Unlike other crime dramas, this police procedural gets right to the heart of its characters by following a family liaison officer as she works closely with families to solve complex cases whilst juggling the stresses that arise in her personal life.
Here's a taster of what to expect from the ITV drama: "When 23-year-old university student Hannah is found dead on the edge of the docks, Morecambe’s MIU team has another case to solve - Jenn, who is returning to work following the death of her father, pushes aside her own grief to support Hannah’s bitterly divided family.
"With the stakes of the investigation high, Jenn and the team dig deeper into the case, uncovering hidden friendships and secret liaisons as anger rises in the student community. As the intensity increases and the team peel back the complicated layers of Hannah’s life and the secrets within it, Jenn must reconcile her personal and professional struggles as she grapples to solve the case, come to terms with her own loss, and build bridges with her family."
Cast of The Bay series 5
Actress Marsha Thomason (White Collar, COBRA) reprises her role as DS Jenn Townsend, a character she's portrayed since 2022 following Morven Christie's (The A Word, Grantchester) departure as series lead DC Lisa Armstrong.
Returning to the upcoming drama are regular cast members Daniel Ryan (Mount Pleasant, Cold Call) as DI Tony , Jenn's boss and friend; Erin Shanagher (Peaky Blinders) as DS Karen Hobson and Andrew Dowbiggin (Emmerdale) as DS James "Clarkie" Clarke.
Barry Sloane (Passenger) returns as deputy head Chris Fischer, while Georgia Scholes (Hollyoaks) plays Chris' daughter Erin. Jenn's children Conor and Maddie are played by David Carpenter and Emme Hayes and new arrival Suzanne Packer (Casualty, Keeping Faith), plays Jenn's mum Anne Towsend.
Joining the new series as guest cast for The Bay series 5 are Cold Feet star Leanne Best, Hijack's Neil Maskell, New Tricks David Troughton Screw's Stephen Wight and Ceallach Spellman, who you may recognise as Adam's son from Cold Feet.
Trying and Happy Valley's Olwen May is a newbie to the police team, and Derry Girls actress Tara Lynne O’Neill is also joining the show as Sinead, DI Tony Manning's new partner.
Part of this series was directed by Endeavour actor Shaun Evans, who recently played serial killer John Sweeney in Until I Kill You.
When is The Bay on TV?
The Bay series 5 doesn't have a UK release date yet, so we are eagerly awaiting its return. It premiered in the United States and Canada on BritBox in September 2024.
Why did Morven Christie leave The Bay?
Although Morven Christie has never shared why she left the show, it's been suggested that that it was her decision rather than the producers.
Taking to Instagram to announce her departure, the actress wrote: “Bye Lisa. You were a gift. Thank you Daragh Carville, thank you beloved @leehavenjones for bringing me in, and biggest love EVER to the crew who had my back and have my heart.”
In an earlier Instagram post, she appeared to criticise the decision to kill off Lisa's sidekick Med Kharim, played by her co-star Taheen Modak, in series 2. Paying tribute to Modak and wishing him the best for the future, Morven said that the show “should never have let you go, but that’s for another day.”
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.