Game of Thrones and Sex Education favourites join Glenn Close in new UK drama as first look released

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Several new actors will be joining Glenn Close in the upcoming Channel 4 series, Up to No Good. A first look at the show has also been revealed.

The photo features Glenda Jackson as Maud Oldcastle, the main character in a six-part TV series adapted from the short stories of Helene Tursten, specifically “An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good” and “An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed.”

I’m so excited about the new cast members joining the show! We’ve got Tanya Reynolds, who I loved in Sex Education, Mathew Baynton from Ghosts, and Iain Glen, who was amazing as Ser Jorah in Game of Thrones. Plus, Raphaël Acloque from The Corsican Line, Nadia Albina who’s been in A Thousand Blows, and Louisa Binder from Hotel Portofino are all joining too! It’s going to be a fantastic season with this group.

The cast is growing with the addition of Meg Bellamy, known for her role in The Crown, Madeleine Mantock from The Long Song, Peter Egan of Unforgotten, and Richard E. Grant, recently seen in The Celebrity Traitors.

Joining an already impressive cast including Claudia Jessie (Bridgerton), Gloria Obianyo (Andor), Anita Dobson (EastEnders), Ben Crompton (Lockwood & Co), Meera Syal (The Wheel of Time), and Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey) are some new additions to the lineup.

The new series, penned by sibling playwrights Nina and Moses Raine (known for ‘Consent’ and ‘Donkey Heart’ respectively), centers around Maud, a character played by Closes. Maud is a funny, tough, and uncompromising older woman – and that’s when she’s being nice. She also happens to be a killer.

I’m completely captivated by the premise of this series! It centers around Maud, a woman who’s devoted her life to caring for her sister, and now she’s finally trying to build a life for herself. But things get complicated when a sharp, young detective named Jessie starts investigating a death in her building and begins to suspect Maud is hiding something. It sounds like Maud will be forced to confront secrets from both her past and present – I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds!

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When the show was first announced, Channel 4’s drama commissioning editor, Rebecca Holdsworth, shared that the captivating and clever world created by Nina and Moses Raine had attracted a wonderful cast. She expressed excitement for viewers to meet Maud Oldcastle and the other memorable characters in the series.

Up to No Good is a daring, clever, and thoroughly enjoyable show that perfectly captures the spirit of Channel 4.

Up to No Good will air on Channel 4.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, an international TV production company. He has a BA degree in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-05-12 16:34