Under Salt Marsh cast: Who stars in the Sky Atlantic crime thriller?

The crime thriller Under Salt Marsh is set in the made-up Welsh town of Morfa Halen. As a huge storm approaches, schoolteacher Jackie Ellis (Kelly Reilly, known from Yellowstone) discovers the body of one of her nine-year-old students.

Was this a tragic accident, or was something more malicious at play? The finding could potentially connect to the unsolved disappearance of Jackie’s niece, Nessa, who vanished several years ago while Jackie was still a detective.

Detective Eric Bull, previously Jackie’s partner and involved in the Nessa investigation, is back in the town he couldn’t solve a case in before. This time, he and Jackie need to work together and quickly uncover hidden truths within Morfa, because a major event is coming and could destroy all the evidence.

Reilly explained that Jackie and Bull share a complicated past, marked by a deeply upsetting experience. Jackie, understandably, wants to avoid Bull at all costs, as seeing him is too painful and she isn’t ready to confront those feelings. Bull is particularly triggering for her right now, because he reminds her of the unresolved trauma from a case they worked on together.

When he unexpectedly appeared at her home after discovering the child’s body, it felt like something out of a horror movie.

Spall explained that he was drawn to the role because of the unusual connection between Jackie and Bull.

He explained that while a romantic relationship between them is unlikely, they still have significant issues to resolve. He noted they share both strong affection and resentment, and that these feelings can easily overlap. He believes this complex dynamic creates a unique and compelling pairing.

The show features familiar actors like Reilly and Spall, as well as some new and lesser-known performers.

Read on for a rundown of the main players in Under Salt Marsh.

Under Salt Marsh cast

Kelly Reilly as Jackie Ellis
Rafe Spall as Detective Eric Bull
Jonathan Pryce as Solomon Bevan
Naomi Yang as DC Jess Deng
Harry Lawtey as Dylan Rees
Dinita Gohil as Nisha Jones
Brian Gleeson as Mac Jones
Kimberley Nixon as Shell Hill
Mark Stanley as Danny Hill
Dino Fetscher as Gareth Evans
Rhodri Meilir as Ned Bevan
Julian Lewis Jones as Osian Northam
Morgan Watkins as Kieran Benbow
William Thomas as Owen Ellis
Amara Atwal as Nessa
Jack Thomas-Humphreys as Cefin Hill
Osian Emlyn as James Rees
India Mullen as Lydia Taman
Janeks Babidorics as August Antonov
Dritan Kastrati as Victor Antonov
Lizzie Annis as Cara Rees
Gwïon Morris Jones as Eddie Bevan
Eiry Thomas as Irene Hassan
Marilyn Cutts as Carys Northam
Martyn Ellis as Jim

For more information about the characters and where you’ve seen the cast before, read on.

Kelly Reilly plays Jackie Ellis

I’ve learned about Jackie Ellis, and her story is really compelling. She used to be a detective, but she’s now a teacher. She’s been deeply affected by the disappearance of her niece, Nessa, who vanished three years ago while Jackie was still on the force. It was a really tough case, and ultimately led to her losing her job. Now, she’s found a young boy named Cefin who’s passed away, and she strongly believes there’s a connection between his death and what happened to Nessa.

I was trying to place Kelly Reilly, and then it hit me – she’s fantastic as Beth Dutton in Yellowstone! But she’s been in a ton of other stuff too, like the movie Flight, and even popped up in Sherlock Holmes back in 2009. Oh, and she was great in Pride & Prejudice a while back, plus I’ve seen her in the shows Brittania and True Detective, and the film Above Suspicion. She’s really built up an impressive filmography!

Rafe Spall plays Eric Bull

I’ve been following the case of young Cefin, and the detective in charge, Eric Bull, seems like a really dedicated guy. I actually remember hearing about his work on Nessa’s case a while back too. It’s a shame to learn he used to be close with Jackie – apparently they were partners and friends, but now they’ve completely fallen out. It makes you wonder what happened there, but he definitely seems focused on finding out what happened to Cefin.

Wondering where you recognize Rafe Spall from? He’s appeared in several popular shows and movies, including The Big Short, Life of Pi, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Salisbury Poisonings, Trying, Black Mirror, and The Ritual.

Jonathan Pryce plays Solomon Bevan

Solomon Bevan is Cefin’s grandfather and the head of a large farming family in Morfa Halen.

You might recognize Jonathan Pryce from roles in popular shows and movies like The Two Popes, The Crown, Game of Thrones, and Slow Horses, as well as films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Brazil, Evita, and Taboo.

Naomi Yang plays Jess Deng

Jess Deng is a detective working with Bull. During an investigation, she disagrees with him, specifically questioning if Jackie should be part of the case.

You probably know Naomi Yang from her roles in shows like DI Ray, Wolfe, Nightsleeper, Maternal, and Liaison.

Harry Lawtey plays Dylan Rees

Dylan Rees is a construction worker who is casually dating Jackie. He’s also connected to Cefin through their children, as Dylan’s nephew and Cefin are close friends.

You might recognize Harry Lawtey from his roles in shows like Industry and Mr Burton, and the upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux. He’s also been in Magpie Murders and You & Me.

Dinita Gohil plays Nisha Jones

Nisha Jones is Jackie’s sister-in-law and Nessa’s aunt. She’s also a teacher who helped Jackie get a job at the school after Jackie left the police force.

Okay, so you’re wondering where you recognize Dinita Gohil from? I get it – she’s been building a really solid resume! I’ve spotted her in shows like The Sandman, Clink, DI Ray, The Road Trip, and Treason. She’s definitely one of those actors who’s starting to pop up everywhere, and for good reason!

Brian Gleeson plays Mac Jones

I’ve been learning about Mac Jones, and it turns out he’s Nisha’s husband! He’s currently in charge of a really big construction project in Morfa Halen, and he’s always talking about how much he loves the town. It’s great to see someone so enthusiastic about the area.

You might recognize Brian Gleeson from shows and movies like Love/Hate, Peaky Blinders, and Bad Sisters, or from films such as Snow White and the Huntsman, Logan Lucky, and Assassin’s Creed. He’s been in quite a few popular projects!

Kimberley Nixon plays Shell Hill

Shell Hill is Cefin’s mother and part of the Bevan family. She lives in town with her husband and children, not on the farm.

Wondering where you recognize Kimberley Nixon from? She’s appeared in shows and films like Fresh Meat, Cranford, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, and Wild Child.

Mark Stanley plays Danny Hill

Who is Danny Hill? Shell’s husband and Cefin’s dad, he runs the local butchers.

You might recognize Mark Stanley from shows like Happy Valley, Game of Thrones, Trigger Point, Dickensian, and White House Farm. He’s appeared in quite a few popular series!

Dino Fetscher plays Gareth Evans

Gareth Evans is an environmental agency worker who is in town to conduct an evaluation. He also shares a past connection with Bull.

You may recognize Dino Fetscher from his roles in shows like Fool Me Once, Foundation, Gentleman Jack, Humans, and Paranoid.

Rhodri Meilir plays Ned Bevan

Who is Ned Bevan? One of Solomon’s adult sons. He works on the farm.

You might recognize Rhodri Meilir from shows like In My Skin, Living a Lie, and My Family. He’s appeared in those titles before.

Julian Lewis Jones plays Osian Northam

Osian Northam is a dedicated environmentalist, though his strong feelings sometimes lead to unusual actions. People in his community generally see him as eccentric.

Many people are wondering where they recognize Julian Lewis Jones. He’s appeared in shows like Stella, Where the Heart Is, The Guest, and Bregus.

Morgan Watkins plays Kieran Benbow

Who is Kieran Benbow? He was a suspect when Nessa first disappeared, but the evidence came up short.

Okay, so you’re wondering where you recognize Morgan Watkins from? I got you. He was Norman Pike in the BBC drama The Hour, and if you’re a fan of action flicks, you definitely saw him as Rottweiler in Kingsman: The Secret Service back in 2014. A solid supporting actor who pops up in some great stuff!

William Thomas plays Owen Ellis

Who is Owen Ellis? Jackie’s dad.

Okay, so you’re wondering where you recognize William Thomas from? I totally get it – he’s one of those faces! I think a lot of people would know him from shows like Mammoth and Torchwood, but he’s also been in The One That Got Away and Tree on a Hill. He pops up in a lot of great stuff!

Additional Under Salt Marsh cast includes:

Amara Atwal (Coldwater) plays Nessa – Jackie’s niece. Her disappearance remains a mystery.
Jack Thomas-Humphreys (Bariau) plays Cefin Hill – Jackie finds his body in a drainage ditch.
Osian Emlyn plays James Rees – Cefin’s best friend.
India Mullen (Red Rock, Normal People) plays Lydia Taman – Jackie’s sister and Nessa’s mum. The two no longer have a relationship following events that unfolded during the investigation into her daughter’s disappearance.
Janeks Babidorics (Brassic) plays August Antonov – he works on the Bevan farm and lives in a caravan on site.
Dritan Kastrati (MobLand) plays Victor Antonov – August’s cousin.
Lizzie Annis (The Witcher: Blood Origin) plays Cara Rees – James’s mum and Dylan’s sister.
Gwïon Morris Jones plays Eddie Bevan – one of the younger members of the Bevan clan.
Eiry Thomas (Keeping Faith, Out There, The Pact, The Bench) plays Irene Hassan – a pathologist.
Marilyn Cutts (Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale) plays Carys Northam – she runs the local pub and guest house.
Martyn Ellis (The New Adventures of Robin Hood) plays Jim – he runs the local chippy.

As a huge TV fan, I’m excited to share that the first two episodes of Under Salt Marsh are dropping on Sky Atlantic and NOW on January 30th! Then, if you’re hooked like I expect, a new episode will air every Friday for the next four weeks.

Don’t forget to add “Add Under Salt Marsh” to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app! Download the app now to get daily TV recommendations and other great features.

Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor at TopMob, where she writes about TV dramas and comedies. Before that, she was a TV writer for Digital Spy and a content writer for Mumsnet. She has a degree and a postgraduate diploma in English Studies.

2026-01-30 11:39