The new BBC drama, Waiting for the Out, is adapted from Andy West’s memoir, The Life Inside, and written by Dennis Kelly. The memoir details West’s experiences with prison, family, and finding freedom.
The show follows Dan, a philosopher teaching a prison class, who becomes increasingly anxious about his own potential for incarceration. This fear stems from his past and the fact that his father, brother, and uncle have all been to prison.
Josh Finan, known for his role in The Responder, plays Dan. He’s supported by a talented cast including Gerard Kearns, Stephen Wight, Phil Daniels, and Samantha Spiro, who all play important characters.
But who else stars in the six-part drama series and who do they all play?
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Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Waiting for the Out.
Waiting for the Out cast: Who stars in the BBC drama?
Below you’ll find a list of the main actors and the characters they play in Waiting for the Out, along with some background on where you might recognize them from.
- Josh Finan as Dan
- Gerard Kearns as Dad
- Stephen Wight as Lee
- Phil Daniels as Frank
- Samantha Spiro as Mum
- Alex Ferns as Keith
- Francis Lovehall as Dris
- Josef Altin as Greg
- Steven Meo as Macca
- Ric Renton as Wallace
- Tom Moutchi as Junior
- Nima Taleghani as Malik
- Sule Rimi as Samson
- Charlie Rix as Zach
- Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo as Officer Stephens
Josh Finan plays Dan
I recently heard about this fascinating character, Dan. He’s a philosopher who takes a job teaching at a prison, which is already a cool premise. What really grabbed me, though, is that he has a family history of incarceration, and as he starts teaching, he gets completely consumed by the fear that he’ll end up in prison himself. It’s a really intriguing setup – I’m immediately invested in seeing how that plays out!
You might recognize Josh Finan from shows like The Gentlemen, Baby Reindeer, The Responder, Say Nothing, and Black Mirror. He’s also appeared in films including The Current War and Hellboy.
Gerard Kearns as Dad
Who is Dad? Dad is Dan and Lee’s dad, who was sent to prison and who they haven’t seen in years.
You might recognize Gerard Kearns from his appearances in several popular TV shows and films. He’s been in series like Shameless, The Town, The Smoke, The Last Kingdom, Chernobyl, The English Game, and The Essex Serpent, as well as the film Peterloo.
Stephen Wight plays Lee
Lee is Dan’s brother. He used to struggle with addiction and was incarcerated, but he’s now recovered, in a committed relationship, and a father.
You might recognize Stephen Wight from a variety of TV shows and films. He’s appeared in series like Whites, Sherlock, Threesome, The Escape Artist, The Paradise, Bluestone 42, I May Destroy You, Manhunt, Silent Witness, Andor, Screw, The Bay, and Bergerac. He’s also been in films including Peterloo and Men in Black: International.
Phil Daniels plays Frank
Who is Frank? Frank is Dan’s uncle who has spent time in prison.
You might recognize Phil Daniels from a wide range of TV shows and films. He’s appeared in series like The Pickwick Papers, EastEnders, I Hate Suzie, and House of the Dragon, as well as films including Quadrophenia and The Hatton Garden Job.
Samantha Spiro plays Mum
Who is Mum? Mum is Dan and Lee’s mum.
You might recognize Samantha Spiro from a variety of TV shows and films. She’s appeared in series like Cold Feet, Grandma’s House, Bad Education, Psychobitches, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Tracey Ullman’s Show, Ridley Road, Beyond Paradise, Sex Education, Only Child, and Missing You. Her film credits include Me Before You, Horrible Histories: The Movie, One Life, and Hard Truths.
Alex Ferns plays Keith
Who is Keith? Keith is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
You might recognize Alex Ferns from a variety of roles in popular shows and movies! He’s appeared in projects like The Batman, Andor, Chernobyl, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and EastEnders, where he played Trevor from 2000 to 2002. He’s also been in The Irregulars, Six Four, and Nightsleeper, among other things.
Francis Lovehall plays Dris
Who is Dris? Dris is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
You might recognize Francis Lovehall from shows like Small Axe, His Dark Materials, Champion, Criminal Record, Masters of the Air, and A Thousand Blows. He’s also appeared in the film Death on the Nile.
Josef Altin plays Greg
Who is Greg? Greg is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
You might recognize Josef Altin from a lot of different shows and movies! He’s appeared in popular series like Peep Show, Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders, and Top Boy, as well as films including Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Tomb Raider, and The Young Victoria. He’s also been in The Bill, River, Unforgotten, The Alienist, Harlots, The Gold, Wolf Hall, A Long Way Down, Child 44, Blitz, Last Breath and Out There.
Steven Meo plays Macca
Who is Macca? Macca is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
You might recognize Steven Meo from his appearances in several popular TV shows. He’s been in series like Torchwood, Grownups, Gavin & Stacey, High Hopes, The Pembrokeshire Murders, Back, Doctors, Code 404, Coronation Street, House of the Dragon, Death Valley, and Juice.
Ric Renton plays Wallace
Who is Wallace? Wallace is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
Where have I seen Ric Renton? Renton has had roles in Good Girls Club and Censor.
Tom Moutchi plays Junior
Who is Junior? Junior is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
You might recognize Tom Moutchi from shows like Famalam, Temple, PRU, and Criminal Record. He’s also appeared in the films The Hustle and Gladiator II.
Nima Taleghani plays Malik
Who is Malik? Malik is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
You might recognize Nima Taleghani from his appearances in shows like Casualty, Hatton Garden, Femme, and Heartstopper.
Sule Rimi plays Samson
Who is Samson? Samson is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
Okay, so you might recognize Sule Rimi – and honestly, I was racking my brain too! This guy’s been steadily building a really impressive career. I’ve spotted him in a ton of popular shows – everything from the quirky comedy ‘DNN: Definitely Not Newsround’ to serious dramas like ‘Unforgotten’, ‘Death in Paradise’, and even ‘Doctor Who’. He was also in ‘Andor’ and ‘Foundation’, which shows his range. Plus, if you’ve seen ‘The Nan Movie’, there he is! He’s clearly been keeping busy, popping up in everything from thrillers like ‘Manhunt’ and ‘The Day of the Jackal’ to ‘Grace’. Definitely a face you’ll be seeing more of, I think.
Charlie Rix plays Zach
Who is Zach? Zach is one of the prisoners in Dan’s class.
You might recognize Charlie Rix from shows like Back to Life, Masters of the Air, The Rings of Power, and Silent Witness. He’s appeared in all of those series.
Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo plays Officer Stephens
Who is Dan? Officers Stephens is a prison guard.
You might recognize Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo from shows like Chewing Gum, Doctor Who, Cuckoo, Rain Dogs, and Alex Rider. She’s also appeared in films including Ready Player One, Christopher Robin, and Dreamers.
Waiting for the Out will premiere on Saturday 3rd January at 9:30pm on BBC One.
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Authors
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, and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
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2026-01-03 11:37