Who is Sinéad Keenan? How Unforgotten star got season 5 role after Nicola Walker exit - when drama is on ITV

Sinéad Keenan was announced as the new lead for season five of detective drama Unforgotten last year and the series was filmed in March. Nicola Walker had starred in the first four seasons of the show, playing DCI Cassie Stuart alongside Sanjeev Bhaska in his Bafta-winning role as DS Sunil Kahn.

Keenan will now join Bhaska, taking on the role of DCI Jess James, following Walker’s departure - Cassie was killed off in dramatic fashion in the last season, dying from brain injuries sustained in a brutal car crash.

Unforgotten has been on our screens since 2015 but the cast shakeup has been planned since the third season. The show’s producers felt that Cassie’s story was complete by the end of season four and it was time to have a new detective take centre stage. This is everything you need to know about Unforgotten actress Sinéad Keenan:

What happens in Unforgotten season 5?

The end of season 4 saw the tragic death of DCI Stuart and left fans desperate to see who would become the next DCI. Keenan will be replacing actress Walker and portraying the next DCI, Jessica ‘Jessie’ James.

ITV has revealed the outline for the new series which will see DCI James and DI Khan thrown into a murder investigation, following the discovery of remains inside a newly renovated property.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Bhaska revealed filming for the new season was due to begin shortly. Writer for the show, Chris Lang, revealed the casting news to fans, via his twitter account.

Lang also told fans that filming had begun for the new season and said: “How lucky we are.” It’s been speculated that the show may make a return to our screens by the end of 2022.

Who is Sinéad Keenan?

Sinéad is a 43-year-old, Irish actress who was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. She has a brother, actor Rory Keenan, who is known for programmes such as Peaky Blinders and The Duchess.

Keenan also has a sister, Gráinne Keenan, who is also an actress and has starred in Black Mirror and Blood. Sinéad made her acting debut in 1999, playing Cillian Murphy’s girlfriend in the film Sunburn.

Her first major UK TV role was in 2008 when she starred as Kelly Hawkins in ITV’s comedy-drama Moving Wallpaper. In 2009, Keenan also appeared in David Tennant’s final two episodes of Doctor Who.

What else has Sinéad Keenan been in?

Keenan has worked her way through some of TV’s most well known dramas such as Doctors, Taggart and Silent Witness. She also starred in BBC’s supernatural drama Being Human, where she solidified herself into the public consciousness.

She starred alongside actors Aidan Turner and Russell Tovey for two years as she portrayed Nina. Keenan has an illustrious acting career, but is best known for her Bafta nominated role in ITV Drama, Little Boy Blue.

The series aired in 2017 and told the story of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was fatally shot in 2007, on his way home from football practice in Liverpool. Keenan portrayed Melanie Jones, Rhys’ mother and was awarded a Royal Television Society Award for the role.

The actresses last project before joining the Unforgotten cast, was in BBC One murder drama, Showtrial where she played DI Paula Cassidy. Following the announcement of her new role, Keenan took to her twitter to share her news, saying that she was “delighted” to be in the role.