Where Do I Know That Actor?

There’s a new series on Sunday nights, kicking off prime time. It’s RIDLEY, starring Adrian Dunbar in the title role as a retired detective inspector brought back in as a consultant. Certainly, sounds intriguing as a premise so we’ll see if it holds up. Each episode is split into two parts making for an 8-part series. So far, we’ve been treated to the first investigation and got to see a few faces that you may know from elsewhere.

Before we start, I will note that RIDLEY gives us a lot of actors who have appeared in other series we’ve aired but none who really rise to the level of main star. Still, that’s why I do this. You’re bound to recognize a Dame Judi Dench when she shows up on something but the bit players and character actors are harder to pin down. So let’s see who’s who…

Adrian Dunbar, of course, starts as former DI Alex Ridley. While there have been a few guest roles on shows like Death In Paradise, Scott & Bailey and Inspector Morse, it’s possible you may have seen him as Plantagenet in The Hollow Crown.

Where Do I Know That Actor?

As anglers flock to Solomon Gorge, desperate to catch a giant fish that is said to lurk in the lake, their plans are threatened when hundreds more appear for the Psycho Mud Run. Of course, when the contests turns deadly, DCI Barnaby and DS Winter must reel in the killer. That’s the premise of “With Baited Breath” – the last episode of the most recent series of MIDSOMER MURDERS. There were also five guest stars worth mentioning. Not A-list big names by any means but if they were obvious then I wouldn’t have to point them out.

First off, Vincent Franklin played retired detective Artie Blythe. He also portrayed Chris Parsons sporadically in Doc Martin and Mr. Limbkins in a late-aughts adaptation of Oliver Twist on Masterpiece Classic.

Nitin Ganatra was Mud Run organizer Ned Skye. While he played Tariq Shah in The Jury about 20 years back on Masterpiece, he should be best known as Albert Square resident Masood Ahmed in EastEnders.