Suspect: Channel 4 release date, trailer, and cast with James Nesbitt, Sacha Dhawan, and Sam Heughan

Suspect, a new crime drama with James Nesbitt, is set to begin on Channel 4 on Sunday 19 June.

The series, which sees Nesbitt’s DS Frater interrogate a new suspect each episode, also stars Sam Heughan, Sacha Dhawan, Richard E Grant, and Antonia Thomas amongst others.

Here’s everything you need to know about Suspect.

What is it about?

Suspect is a crime drama about the death of a young woman. The circumstances of her death are unclear, and there’s ambiguity as to whether or not she committed suicide – or if she was murdered.

Her estranged father, Detective Sergeant Danny Frater, is convinced she didn’t kill herself, and attempts to prove it by investigating her friends and coworkers. Each episode follows a different interrogation, only featuring DS Frater and the suspect he’s speaking to.

Who is in the cast?

James Nesbitt stars as DS Danny Frater, the only character to appear in every episode of the series. You might recognise Nesbitt from crime dramas like Bloodlines or Stay Close, the horror drama Jekyll, or his lead role in the series Cold Feet. He also appeared in Line of Duty’s final season as one of its most memorable guest stars.

Sam Heughan plays Ryan, while Ben Miller plays Richard, both police colleagues of Danny’s. Heughan is best known for his leading role in Outlander, while you might recognise Miller from Bridgerton, Primeval, or the Armstrong & Miller show.

Niamh Algar plays Nicola, someone close to Danny’s daughter Christina. Algar has previously appeared in Raised by Wolves, MotherFatherSon, and Pure.

Joely Richardson plays pathologist Jackie Snowden, while Antonia Thomas plays a coworker of Christina’s. Richardson is best known for The Tudors and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, while you might recognise Thomas from US drama The Good Doctor.

Sacha Dhawan plays Jaisal, a local gangster, while Richard E Grant plays Christina’s mentor Harry. Both have appeared in Doctor Who and Marvel projects (Grant in Loki, and Dhawan in Iron Fist); Grant is very good in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and Dhawan is great in In the Club.

Anne-Marie Duff plays Susannah, Danny’s ex-wife and Christina’s mother. She’s best known for her breakthrough role playing Fiona Gallagher in Shameless, but in recent years has starred in Sex Education, His Dark Materials, and The Salisbury Poisonings.

Imogen King plays Danny’s daughter Christina. King is best known for appearing in ITV’s detective drama The Bay, and BBC Three thriller Clique.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

Who writes and directs Suspect?

Matt Baker (Professor T, Hotel Portofino) has written each episode of Suspect, while Dries Vos (Professor T, De Biker Boys) directs.

Suspect is an adaptation of the Danish crime drama Forhøret. As a result, Walter Iuzzolino (of Channel 4’s international drama strand Walter Presents) is credited as an executive producer.

What do reviews of Suspect say?

Our review of Suspect praised the series of its ambiguity and ambition, and argued that its unusual structure made up for its more generic moments.

When and how can I watch Suspect?

Suspect begins on Sunday 19 June at 9pm on Channel 4. The series will double bill episodes each night from Sunday to Wednesday – the first two episodes on Sunday, episodes 3 and 4 on Monday, etc.

It will also be available to watch on All4.

How many episodes is Suspect?

Suspect is eight episodes in total, each around 23 minutes long.

Why should I watch Suspect?

It’s an interesting departure from the norm in terms of crime drama, and it’s worth watching for that unusual structural conceit.