Cast and characters

The young actress comes into this flagship ITV1 drama on the back of appearances in episodes of Silent Witness and Doctors. She plays the eight-year-old daughter of Sue and Paul, who lives with Sue and Cameron. She soon becomes the centre of the drama that affects the lives of everyone.

The Lewis star takes time out from the hit ITV1 detective show to portray a headmaster whose marriage to Anne ended acrimoniously. His new relationship with Sue means trying to foster a strong family unit with her daughter Emily and his teenage son Jack. He reveals: “As a headmaster Cameron is very much in control. But as this story progresses you get the feeling that for the first time in his life he is losing control; he can’t force people or coerce people into doing what he wants."

The former Cracker star takes on the difficult role of Sue, Cameron’s new partner, and mother of Emily who is found dead in the garden of their home. She says her character is “uptight and struggling to make things work”. The acclaimed actress, who had her own baby daughter Rose on set, adds: "The humanity of the whole piece is what attracted me to the role. They are not perfect parents. They are flawed. They are normal people. She makes mistakes, but she is trying her best."

The Mummy Returns star claims he could identify with the role of troublesome son Jack, due to his own family background. The 17-year-old says: “I can sympathise with Jack. I was a lot younger than Jack when my parents divorced, so I can relate to that, but for me my parents always loved me. I remember being Jack’s age, and you don’t necessarily need much attention, but you needed love from your parents."

The much heralded actress got her teeth into the role of Cameron's feisty ex-wife. She reveals: “Anne is the spurned wife. She is a fantastic character to play because she wasn’t just someone who has been on the receiving end of a rejection. She has not just given up, she is on the front foot all the time. I got the chance to shout and swear, which was good fun. Kevin Whately was very generous in the way he took the abuse!"

As the proud father of a baby girl, Ian says he could understand the pressures and dilemmas faced by his gregarious radio presenter character whose little girl, Emily, is found dead in suspicious circumstances. He declares: “The catastrophe that happens in this story is every parent’s worst nightmare. We all think we are good parents, and that self obsession with being a good parent can ironically go against the well being of a child."