AN EastEnders legend returns to our screens as the lead character in Channel 5’s new compelling drama series.
Actress Jill Halfpenny takes the lead in the four-part thriller The Cuckoo.
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What is The Cuckoo about?
The Cuckoo follows the story of Sian, a lodger who is taken in by Nick and Jessica.
The couple have just bought the house of their dreams, a massive property in the countryside town that Jessica grew up in.
However, as the financial crisis hits, the family falls on tough times, and suddenly their home is on the line.
The family of three are then forced to pull their adopted teenage daughter, Alice, out of her private school and into the local comprehensive.
Nick gets another job, but it’s still not enough to make ends meet.
With no other choice, Jessica decides they need to take in Sian as a lodger to help with their situation.
Immediately, Sian begins sowing friction within the family by acting too familiar with Nick, wearing Jessica’s clothes, and building an increasingly inappropriate connection with Alice.
Jessica quickly begins to question if Sian is who she claims to be as she realises that something more insidious and twisted is happening.
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As the series unravels, the family will be forced to fight for each other and their own lives.
Who is in the cast of The Cuckoo?
Jill Halfpenny as Sian
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Jill Halfpenny takes the lead in The Cuckoo playing Sian, a beautiful, flirty, and mysterious woman.
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Her character inserts herself into the lives of married couple Nick and Jessica and their adopted daughter Alice.
Actress Jill has enjoyed an incredible career since her rise to fame on 90s kids show Byker Grove.
Over the years she has enjoyed stints on EastEnders and Coronation Street.
Jill appeared in the hit Channel 5 drama The Holiday, and competed on Strictly Come Dancing.
The busy actress has also worked as a radio broadcaster on BBC Radio 2 and has a successful career on stage as well.
Lee Ingleby as Nick
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In The Cuckoo, Lee Ingleby takes on the role of Nick who is a father and husband to wife Jessica.
The family are forced to invite Sian into their home due to financial pressure.
Fans will recognise the actor from numerous crime dramas.
Over the years he has appeared in Inspector George Gently, Line Of Duty, The Hunt For Raoul Moat and Criminal: UK.
Lee also starred in the Yorkshire Ripper drama The Long Shadow where he played real-life detective Jim Hobson.
Claire Goose as Jessica
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In The Cuckoo, Claire Goose plays Nick's wife Jessica who advertises for a lodger to help with the bills.
Viewers will recognise actress Claire from her long-running stint on former BBC show Casualty, as well as crime drama Waking The Dead.
She also starred in the popular police show The Bill.
Claire has since moved on to top drama and is known for The Coroner, Unforgotten, Mount Pleasant, and The Bay.
The rest of the cast includes:
- Freya Hannan-Mills as Alice
- Marjorie Yates as Aunt Fay
Where was The Cuckoo filmed?
Filming took place in the mountains and valleys of County Wicklow, Ireland.
Speaking about the location, actress Jill Halfpenny told iNews: “We were in a huge farmhouse for most of the shoot – it was so big, you only see a tiny bit of it on screen!
“It’s in County Wicklow, which is a gorgeous part of Ireland.
I could not be more excited to be gathering such a fantastic and dynamic cast and crew to make this thriller that will keep us on the edge of our seats throughout.
Producer Suzi McIntosh
"If I’d filmed there in my 20s, I would have spent all my time exploring the area, but in my 40s, I spent my breaks trying to get in touch with my son’s school, or booking a dentist appointment – the boring logistics of life!”
Claire also raved about the scenery on her Instagram, calling it the "most stunning location".
How to watch The Cuckoo
This four-part series will air over four consecutive nights.
The first episode of The Cuckoo will air on April 8, 2024, on Channel 5.
A new episode will drop every day at 9pm until the last episode hits screens on April 11, 2024.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Producer Suzi McIntosh said: “I could not be more excited to be gathering such a fantastic and dynamic cast and crew to make this thriller that will keep us on the edge of our seats throughout.
“Watch this space, we are all in for a treat.”
