BBC's Virdee: A whos who of the cast of the upcoming Bradford-based crime thriller

When it comes to crime drama, we’ve been seriously spoilt in the last few years. Killing Eve, Broadchurch and Happy Valley are just a few of the nail-biting series to grace our screens, and 2025 is already shaping up to be a great year for the genre, too – thanks to the likes of ITV’s Out There and Until I Kill You. BBC’s Virdee, which is set in Bradford, is another new series about to join their ranks.

Based on the novels of the same name by A A Dhand, the six-parter follows police detective Harry Virdee as he tries to track down a serial killer targeting the city’s Asian community. Along the way, he has to deal with a fall-out in his Sikh family, who have abandoned him for marrying his Muslim wife, Saima. A release date for the series is yet to be revealed, but in the meantime, let’s get acquainted with a whos who of the cast.

Nair will take on the leading role after replacing Doctor Who’s Sacha Dhawan, who was originally cast as Detective Virdee but dropped out early last year due to schedule conflicts. Speaking of the role, Nair said via the BBC: “It’s an absolute honour to be taking on this vibrant and complex story about assimilating culture and what we’re willing to do to protect who and what we love. This show leads with vulnerability more than any detective drama I’ve ever seen, and it’s a privilege to be bringing AA Dhand’s hope for his city to life”.

Speaking to Schön! magazine Nair said that portraying Virdee “requires such a nuance and emotional range” which has both challenged and educated him – both in a professional and personal sense. Nair, who grew up in London and is of Malayali and Russian descent is no stranger to our screens: he played Qhono, an army chief in the sixth to eighth series of Game of Thrones; appeared as the titular Rocky in Fox’s 2016 remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show; and also featured alongside the likes of Sir Anthony Hopkins and Djimon Hounsou in the 2023 epic space film Rebel Moon and its 2024 sequel.

Some may also recognise Nair from, erm.... The X-Factor? During the show’s early 2010s heyday, he auditioned for the show as part of the boyband Times Red, with the trio proving a hit with the ladies for lifting their shirts to reveal their impeccable abs on stage. The band progressed to the judges houses stage of the 2012 competition before being booted off. East London’s Aysha Kala will portray Harry’s wife, Saima. While not a lot has been revealed about Saima just yet, her marriage to the detective has caused a rift in her husband’s family – which is set to be laid out in the series – and together they share a son, Aaron. It’s Aaron’s questioning about his dad’s relatives which prompts Harry to attempt to reunite with his estranged family.

Kala made her TV debut in the beloved Channel 4 series Shameless back in 2011, where she played Sita – the cousin of Chesney – for a few episodes. Since then, she’s played Sooni in the historical drama Indian Summers and made a name for herself on stage, too. She’s performed at the National Theatre on a number of ocassions, including in 2023’s The Motive and the Cue and The Father and the Assassin.

British Punjabi actress Singh will play Tara, Harry’s niece and an ambitious local crime reporter. The actress has previously appeared in 2023’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry alongside Jim Broadbent and BBC school drama Waterloo Road. Fellow Waterloo Road alumni Elizabeth Berrington will play Detective Sergeant Clare Conway in the upcoming series. Berrington will be a familiar face for many viewers – she portrayed Princess Anne in Steven Knight’s Princess Diana film Spencer in 2021; had an appearance in the Black Mirror episode Hated in the Nation; and is a regular of British TV: The Bill, Doctor Who, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Stella, The Syndicate – you name in it, she’s likely been in it.

Riaz – Harry’s brother-in-law – runs the area’s biggest drugs cartel, and is beckoned by his sister’s husband to form an unlikely pairing, to help solve a kidnapping case which holds the city of Bradford to ransom. Bhai is no newbie to a drama series: in 2022 he played Chinar in BBC’s Crossfire, which starred Keeley Hawes. The series tells the story of a British family involved in an armed assault during a Spanish holiday.

Ghir is best known for his role in famous BBC comedy sketch series Goodness Gracious Me, which explored (and poked fun at) a number of facets and stereotypes of British Asian culture. He also appeared in the cult working-class film Rita, Sue and Bob Too. Bhuchar – who was born in Tanzania to Indian parents – is a prominent playwright whose work over the decades has focused on telling British Asian stories. Additionally, her acting roles include appearances in soaps like Eastenders and Coronation Street. Together, they pay Harry’s parents, Ranjit and Jyoti.