News Beat
After the Flood season 2 stars Matthews McNulty as it airs tonight
The series, which was filmed in Greater Manchester, including Tandle Hill in Oldham,
The second series finds newly promoted detective Jo Marshall (Sophie Rundle) on the trail of a baffling new murder investigation. As tensions simmer in Waterside amid the rising threat of moorland fires and the subsequent risk of further flooding, a body is discovered in bizarre circumstances.
Reprising their roles are Sophie Rundle as Jo Marshall (Gentleman Jack, Peaky Blinders), Nicholas Gleaves (The Crown, The Rising) as Sergeant Phil Mackie, Olivier nominee Lorraine Ashbourne (Alma’s Not Normal, Sherwood, Bridgerton) as Molly Marshall, Philip Glenister (Belgravia, Life on Mars) as Jack Radcliffe and Matt Stokoe (The Hunt For Raoul Moat, The Bodyguard) returns as Jo’s husband, Pat Holman.
Joining the cast for series two are Alun Armstrong (Breeders, Sherwood) playing Alan Benson, Jill Halfpenny (The Red King, The Long Shadow) as DS Sam Bradley, Ian Puleston-Davies (Pennyworth, Tin Star) as Tony Rower and Matthew (The Jetty, The Rising). Also joining the cast is Oliver Nelson (The Gathering, Home Fires) as Declan Rower, Roger Morlidge (The Bank of Dave, Chemistry of Death) as Geoff Dixon, Lola Brown (a newcomer) as Izza and Tony Marshall (Sister Boniface Mysteries, Casualty) as Fraser Tempest.
Jo’s race to stop the killer brings her into direct conflict with powerful and influential forces within the town, ultimately drawing her into an investigation that becomes deeply personal. One that will require her to operate in secret if she is to have any hope of rooting out the corruption that has blighted the town’s police force – and her own family – for decades.
Matthew plays Xav Palmer.
On first appearances, Xav is a happy-go-lucky charmer with an eye for the ladies. He’s immediately drawn to Jo and can’t help but chance his hand even though he knows he shouldn’t, given the circumstances of their meeting. Charismatic and hard to resist, Xav’s a driven man, who cares about certain things deeply, with a strangely moral, if occasionally warped, sense of justice.
Sophie said: “When the call came saying they wanted to make a second series, it was such a nice surprise, and it felt right.
” A second series can often feel like a bit of an add–on, whereas this feels like we just pick up where we left off and we’re running with it.
“Mick Ford has deftly created this small–town community, and that’s what people have responded to. Every character comes with a full life, a full trajectory and a full narrative, and the second series is unfolding that with each character.
“There are lots of interesting people who’ve found themselves in interesting positions in the series, and at the end of series one, there was a lot of room to explore more. What is it that really draws the audience in?
“After the Flood has got this environmental message, but we’re dealing with real people’s problems. The climate conversation is enormous, and sometimes that can be quite isolating as a lot of people worry enormously about it, but don’t know where to begin. B
“ut by manoeuvring that into the story of this small, relatable community, which could be anywhere, it has enabled people to explore these ideas and have these conversations, and I think that’s smart. When you have these huge themes, you must distil them down into something more manageable.”
Andy Pryor, Casting Director for Quay Street Productions, said: “To attract such talented household names to the series is a testament to the brilliant writing by Mick Ford, once again writing such a thrilling story filled to the brim with interesting and compelling characters. We couldn’t be happier with the calibre of talent we have both returning and joining After the Flood for series two, each cast member is perfect for their role and we are looking forward to seeing how they bring their characters to life on screen”.
