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LET OFF THE LEISH

Dalgliesh season 3 cast, plot and filming locations: C5 British crime drama TV series explained

Despite being set in England the show was actually filmed in another country

WHEN it comes to top crime drama, Channel 5 are making a mark for themselves.

One series that has proved to be a huge hit for the broadcaster is Dalgleish, which is based on the famous mystery novels by P.D. James.

Bertie Carvel plays lead role Adam Dalgliesh
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Bertie Carvel plays lead role Adam DalglieshCredit: AcornTV

Bertie Carvel as Adam Dalgliesh

Taking the lead in Channel 5's rebooted Dalgliesh is esteemed actor Bertie Carvel.

The star takes the titular role of Detective Adam Dalgliesh, who is tasked we solving unusual murders.

Away from the show, and the actor is best known for Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2015), Doctor Foster (2015) and Les Misérables (2012).

 In 2019 Bertie married actress Sally Scott and they have one child together.

Read more Dalgleish

Jeremy Irvine as Charles Masterson

Jeremy Irvine plays the role of Charles Masterson
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Jeremy Irvine plays the role of Charles MastersonCredit: Dalg Productions Ltd

Jeremy Irvine takes on the role of Charles Masterson.

He began his acting career after one year of drama school at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before catching Hollywood's eye starring in Steven Spielberg's 2011 epic war film War Horse. 

Jeremy has gained the reputation of being a great method actor after he lost two stone and performed his own torture scene stunts in The Railway Man (2013).

He has since starred in The Woman In Black: Angel of Death (2015), Fallen (2016), Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). 

Carlyss Peer as Kate Miskin

Actress Carlyss Peer seen here in her role of DS Kate Miskin
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Actress Carlyss Peer seen here in her role of DS Kate MiskinCredit: Dalg2 Productions Ltd

Actress Carlyss Peer plays DS Kate Miskin, who is Dalgliesh's work partner. 

Away from Dalgliesh, she is known for BBC One's Beyond Paradise.

Dalgliesh airs goriest episode yet as men have throats slit and priest is stabbed in bloody church massacre

Her other acting credits includes Doctors, ITV crime drama Viewpoint, sci-fi series The Feed, and Holby City.

Sam Swainsbury as DCI Clive Roscoe

Sam Swainsbury plays DCI Clive Roscoe
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Sam Swainsbury plays DCI Clive RoscoeCredit: Channel 5

Sam Swainsbury takes on the role of DCI Clive Roscoe in season 3.

Speaking about joining the cast, the star told Channel 5: "Roscoe is an interesting contrast to Dalgliesh in so much as he is an open, kind family man with two little kids.

“He is very much devoted to his job and has a very keen eye for investigation.”

The actor's film credits include the Fisherman’s Friends films, and the TV series Mum.

Richard Dillane as Dr Stephen Courtney-Briggs

Richard Dillane also stars in Dalgliesh
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Richard Dillane also stars in DalglieshCredit: Alamy

Playing the role of Dr Stephen Courtney-Briggs, is Richard Dillane.

Viewers may recognise the actor from the Netflix series Young Wallander, based on the character Kurt Wallander created by novelist Henning Mankell. 

Richard is married to actress Jayne McKenna and they have three children.

Dalgliesh plot

The series is set in mid-1970s England and follows Inspector Adam Dalgliesh, a detective and widower, as he strives to solve unusual murders.

Each part follows the stories of the late crime writer PD James’ books.

In the third series of the crime drama Dalgliesh is called to investigate three highly sensitive murder cases just as Margaret Thatcher is about to rise to power.

Dalgliesh is back solving crimes in season 3
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Dalgliesh is back solving crimes in season 3Credit: Channel 5

Filming location

Despite being set in England, Dalgliesh was entirely filmed in Northern Ireland.

For all three seasons, Belfast was used as the primary filming location.

The streets around the old Belfast Telegraph building were transformed into a film set during shooting.

How to watch Dalgliesh

Dalgliesh season three will return to Channel 5 at 9pm on December 5, 2024.

The show ill then continue the following night (December 6, 2024) at the same time.

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The remaining four hour-long episodes will air on successive Thursdays and Fridays at the same times.

Fans can also stream both season one and two right now on the Channel 5 streaming site My5.

The original Dalgliesh

The Channel 5 Dalgliesh is a reboot of the original series which ran in the 80s.

When crime writer PD James wrote the Inspector Dalgliesh crime novels she may not have expected Britain's leading actors to play the title role, including Martin Shaw and in the 2021 series, Bertie Carvel.

But, for many fans, Roy Marsden remains the most iconic Dalgliesh.

The actor played the lead role from 1983 until he was replaced by Shaw in 1991 who would later go on to star in Inspector George Gently and The Long Call.

Speaking about playing the famous Inspector, Marsden told the in 1998: "It's an easy job, really. Every 18 months or so I do a couple of months filming one.

"It's not like what John Thaw did on Morse - he spent months slogging at it for years."

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