The Gold cast: who stars in the BBC One crime drama with Hugh Bonneville, Jack Lowden, and Charlotte Spencer?

The Gold, a new crime drama charting the true story of the Brink’s Mat robbery, is airing now on BBC One and iPlayer.

The series follows a group of criminals trying to launder a staggering amount of stolen gold, and the police task force trying to catch them before the money is spent. The Gold has a strong ensemble cast, made up of rising stars, famous faces, and reliable character actors.

Here’s everything you need to know about the cast of The Gold, from who they play in the BBC One crime drama to where you recognise them from already – and, of course, a recommendation for what to watch them in next.

Jack Lowden as Kenneth Noye

• Who do they play in The Gold? Jack Lowden plays Kenneth (or Kenny) Noye, the fence who takes charge of laundering and selling the stolen gold.
• Where do I know them from? You’ll know Lowden from leading the Apple TV+ spy drama Slow Horses, but you might also recognise him from the BBC miniseries The Passing Bells, The Long Song, and War & Peace.
• What should I watch them in next? Lowden recently received rave reviews for his performance as Siegfried Sassoon in Terence Davies’ biopic Benediction, which you can watch on Netflix in the UK now.

Hugh Bonneville as DCI Brian Boyce

• Who do they play in The Gold? Hugh Bonneville plays Detective Chief Inspector Brian Boyce, head of Scotland Yard’s task force investigating the Brink’s-Mat gold bullion robbery.
• Where do I know them from? Bonneville is best known for playing Lord Grantham in Downton Abbey, but you might also recognise him from films like Paddington and Viceroy’s House.
• What should I watch them in next? It’s really only nominally similar to The Gold, but if you want another series where Bonneville tries to lead a team through complicated problems, you might want to check out Twenty Twelve and W1A, both currently available on iPlayer.

Charlotte Spencer as Nicki Jennings

• Who do they play in The Gold? Charlotte Spence plays Nicki Jennings, one of the investigating officers on the Brink’s Mat case. Jennings – daughter of a notorious London criminal – is a fictional character, invented for the series.
• Where do I know them from? You’ll know Spencer from films like The Duke and Misbehaviour, and from television performances in Ted Lasso, Us, and The Living and the Dead.
• What should I watch them in next? You might want to check out Baghdad Central, another crime thriller with Charlotte Spencer in a supporting role. The series, which takes place in 2003 shortly after the fall of Saddam Hussein, is available to stream on Disney+.

Emun Elliot as Tony Brightwell

• Who do they play in The Gold? Emun Elliot plays Tony Brightwell, another of the investigating officers on the Brink’s Mat case.
• Where do I know them from? You’ll know Emun Elliot from starring in the medical drama Trust Me, the YA drama Clique, and the sitcom Threesome. He also played supporting roles in Game of Thrones and The Rig, as well as the M. Night Shyamalan film Old.
• What should I watch them in next? Elliot starred in Guilt, another crime drama with a dark sense of humour from The Gold writer Neil Forsyth.

Dominic Cooper as Edwyn Cooper

• Who do they play in The Gold? Dominic Cooper plays Edwyn Cooper, a corrupt solicitor who helps Noye and Palmer create a fake paper trail to legitimise their stolen gold. Cooper is another character invented for The Gold, not based on a real person.
• Where do I know them from? Cooper is probably best known for his role in the Mamma Mia films, but you’ll also know him from The History Boys and An Education. You might also recognise him from the comic book adaptations Preacher and Agent Carter.
• What should I watch them in next? Either of Spy City or Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond, both espionage dramas with a similar period drama feel to The Gold.

Tom Cullen as John Palmer

• Who do they play in The Gold? Tom Cullen plays John Palmer, the gold smelter who hides from the police in Spain.
• Where do I know them from? Tom Cullen is a Welsh actor, best known for appearing in Harlan Coben’s The Five, the historical dramas Knightfall and Gunpowder, and the Apple TV+ sci-fi drama Invasion.
• What should I watch them in next? You might want to check out Cullen’s directorial debut Pink Wall, a romantic drama starring Tatiana Maslany and Jay Duplass as a couple struggling with the pressure of gender roles.

Who else stars in The Gold?

They’re joined by Sean Harris (Southcliffe, Mission: Impossible), Ellora Torchia (Ali and Ava, Midsommar), Stefanie Martini (Prime Suspect, The Last Kingdom), Ruth Bradley (Ted Lasso, Guilt), and Peter Davison (All Creatures Great and Small, Doctor Who) amongst others.

Who writes and directs The Gold?

The Gold was written and developed by Neil Forsyth, a Scottish writer probably best known for creating the Mark Bonnar drama Guilt. You might also know him from his Bob Servant novels, or his Morecambe & Wise film Eric, Ernie, and Me.

The lead director on The Gold was Aneil Karia, who recently won an Oscar for his short film The Long Goodbye, with additional episodes helmed by Doctor Who and Misfits director Lawrence Gough.

The Gold is available to watch in full on BBC iPlayer now, with new episodes airing weekly on Sunday evenings on BBC One. You can read our review of the series here, listen to us discuss it on Screen Babble here, and take a look at our breakdown of the true story here.