Riot Women cast: Who stars in Sally Wainwright’s BBC drama?

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Everyone needs a way to let off steam, and for the women in Sally Wainwright’s new drama, *Riot Women*, that outlet is music. Facing pressures from work, everyday life, and menopause, they decide to form an all-female rock band as a way to express their frustrations – and do it with a rebellious, punk-rock spirit.

These women are preparing to shine at a local talent show, proving they’ve still got it and rediscovering their passion in the process.

No matter how exciting things seem, life always has unexpected challenges. The band is about to find this out as issues from their past suddenly reappear.

Here’s everything you need to know about the cast unleashing their inner rage in iconic punk style.

Riot Women cast

The leading ladies of Riot Women are:

  • Joanna Scanlan as Beth Thornton
  • Rosalie Craig as Kitty Eckersley
  • Lorraine Ashbourne as Jess Burchill
  • Tamsin Greig as Holly Gaskell
  • Amelia Bullmore as Yvonne Vaux
  • Taj Atwal as Nisha Lal
  • Chandeep Uppal as Kam Lal

Joining them in the cast are:

  • Jonny Green as Tom Thornton
  • Ellise Chappell as Fearne
  • Macy Seelochan as Miranda
  • Anne Reid as Nancy
  • Tony Hirst as Jerry Booth
  • Shannon Lavelle as Chloe
  • Sue Johnston as Auntie Mary
  • Mark Bazeley as Gavin
  • Ben Batt as Rudy
  • Natalia Tena as Inez
  • Thomas Flynn as SpongeBob
  • Richard Fleeshman as Jojo
  • Claire Skinner as Tricia
  • Peter Davison as Graham
  • Nicholas Gleaves as Tony
  • Olwen May as Margaret
  • Kevin Doyle as Michael

Joanna Scanlan as Beth Thornton

Beth Thornton is a woman who fully commits to her passions. By day, she’s an English teacher, but she’s reached a point where she feels depleted from constantly putting others first. When the opportunity arises to join a rock band, she jumps at it – perhaps with a little too much enthusiasm for a local talent show! According to Joanna, the character is driven by a desire to reconnect with her love of music, particularly the punk and rock of her youth, and to finally express a wild side she’s suppressed since becoming a teacher, wife, and mother.

You might recognize Joanna Scanlan from a variety of roles! She began her television career in 1997 with appearances in adaptations of classic novels like *Jane Eyre* and *Vanity Fair*, as well as popular shows like *EastEnders*. A major breakthrough came in 2005 when she played Terri Coverley in the acclaimed political comedy *The Thick of It*. Since then, she’s been in shows such as *Big School*, *No Offence*, and as Ma Larkin in *The Larkins*. More recently, she’s appeared in season four of *Slow Horses* and the Prime Video series *A Very Royal Scandal*.

Rosalie Craig as Kitty Eckersley

Kitty Eckersley is introduced as someone struggling with her mental health and facing difficult circumstances, including a recent arrest. Just when she’s feeling hopeless, she reconnects with Beth and discovers a surprising connection between them.

If you recognize Rosalie Craig, it’s likely from her extensive work in theatre. She began her career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2001 and later became known for playing Arwen in a stage version of *The Lord of the Rings* in 2007. On television, she’s appeared in shows like *Miranda*, *The Queen’s Gambit*, *Truth Seekers*, and Netflix’s *1899*. More recently, she’s been in *Moonflower Murders* and *The Serpent Queen*.

Lorraine Ashbourne as Jess Burchill

I recently learned about Jess Burchill, and she’s a fascinating character. She’s the driving force behind this new rock band, born from a pretty relatable situation – her husband left, abandoning his drum kit. Instead of letting it sit unused, she decided to take it up herself! The actress playing her, Lorraine, described Jess as someone incredibly relatable – a woman juggling *everything*. She’s running a pub, raising kids and grandkids, managing relationships, and being there for her whole community. She’s constantly giving to others, almost to a fault, and frankly, doesn’t seem very happy about it herself. It’s a portrait of a woman stretched thin, and I’m really intrigued to see how her story unfolds.

You might recognize Lorraine Ashbourne from a number of popular TV shows. The Manchester-born actress first gained recognition in the late 1990s with leading roles in *City Central* and *Playing the Field*. She’s been a familiar face on screen ever since, appearing in series like *The Bill*, *Larkrise to Candleford*, and *The Interceptor*. More recently, she played Barbara Castle in *The Crown* (2019) and has been a regular as Mrs. Varley in *Bridgerton* (since 2020). Her recent work includes appearances in BBC’s *Sherwood*, Sky’s *I Hate Suzie*, and *Alma’s Not Normal*, which won a BAFTA for Best Scripted Comedy in 2025.

Tamsin Greig as Holly Gaskell

Holly Gaskell is a police officer preparing to retire after three decades of service. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she arrests a woman named Kitty while shopping. Holly, who received a bass guitar from a former arrestee, is generally optimistic and resourceful, but she’s also been heavily involved in caring for her mother, who is living with dementia.

Tamsin Greig is a well-known British actress who excels in both funny and serious roles. She first gained attention for her role in the comedy series *Green Wing*, and also appeared in *Black Books* and the popular *Friday Night Dinner* as Jackie Goodman. On the dramatic side, she’s been in shows like *Belgravia*, *Sexy Beast*, and recently, *Suspect*.

Amelia Bullmore as Yvonne Vaux

Let me tell you about Yvonne Vaux. She’s Holly’s older sister, and a really solid guitar player because she took lessons when she was younger. She quickly joins the band and brings a lot of structure to things – she’s incredibly organized! Yvonne’s a midwife and really good at her job, but honestly, Holly often wishes she’d show the same level of care towards their mom, who’s getting on in years and needs a lot of help. She’s definitely not afraid to speak her mind, which sometimes makes her seem a little blunt, but she’s always honest.

Amelia Bullmore is a British actress and writer who’s been working in television for over thirty years. She first became known for playing Steph Barnes in the soap opera *Coronation Street* in the early 1990s, and has since appeared in a variety of popular shows. Some of her other roles include appearances in *Brass Eye*, *I’m Alan Partridge*, *Happy Valley*, *Scott and Bailey*, *Gentleman Jack*, *The Larkins*, *The Buccaneers*, and *The Jetty*.

Taj Atwal as Nisha Lal

Nisha Lal is Holly’s former partner from the police force, and they remain close even after Holly retired. Nisha is a rising star in the police department, but she’s made uncomfortable by unwanted attention from a colleague named Rudy. In addition to her police work, she and her sister, Kam, join the group as backup singers.

Taj Atwal is an actress originally from Norwich who studied at the Guildford School of Acting. You might recognize her from roles in shows like Line of Duty, Cold Call, Truth Seekers, Hull Raisers, and Trying. Her most recent role was in the BBC comedy-drama, Daddy Issues, where she starred alongside Aimee-Lou Wood.

Chandeep Uppal as Kam Lal

Who is Kam Lal? Nisha’s outgoing sister. They are very close.

You might recognize Chandeep Uppal from her roles in shows like My Life as a Popat, Echo City, and Holby City.

Additional Riot Women cast includes:

  • Jonny Green (Doctor Who podcast spin-off series, Torchwood: The Story Continues, White Lines, It’s a Sin, Count Abdulla, Strike) as Tom – Beth’s adopted son, who has somewhat grown distant from her after growing up flying the nest.
  • Ellise Chappell (Poldark) as Fearne – Tom’s wife.
  • Macy Seelochan (Shadow and Bone) as Miranda – Jess’s daughter.
  • Anne Reid (The Sixth Commandment) as Nancy – Holly and Yvonne’s mum.
  • Tony Hirst (Hollyoaks) as Jerry Booth – Jess’s parter.
  • Shannon Lavelle (The Hardacres) as Chloe – Jess’s eldest daughter.
  • Sue Johnston (The Royle Family) as Mary – Jess’s aunt.
  • Mark Bazeley (Home Fires) as Gavin – Kitty’s ex.
  • Ben Batt (Scott and Bailey) as Rudy – a police officer.
  • Natalia Tena (Harry Potter) as Inez – Jess’s sworn enemy.
  • Thomas Flynn (Masters of the Air) as SpongeBob – he claims he’s Kitty’s boyfriend.
  • Richard Fleeshman (Coronation Street) as Jojo – he goes on a date with Holly.
  • Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) as Tricia and Peter Davison (Doctor Who) as Graham – Tom’s parents-in-law.
  • Nicholas Gleaves (After the Flood) as Tony – a police sergeant and Holly’s ex.
  • Olwen May (Coronation Street) as Margaret and Kevin Doyle (Sherwood) as Michael – Beth’s neighbours.

You can watch Riot Women on BBC One this Sunday, October 12th, at 9pm. All episodes will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer starting at 6am that same day.

As a total film buff, I just have to tell you about “Riot Women” – I’ve added it to my watchlist on the TopMob app, and you should too! It’s a great way to get daily recommendations and stay up-to-date with all things TV and movies. You can download the app now – seriously, it’s a game-changer for finding your next favorite watch.

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2025-10-12 08:06