Lucy Beaumont’s Channel 4 comedy series Hullraisers arrives later this month, focusing on three very different female friends and native Hullians.
Taj Atwal (playing Rana), Leah Brotherhead (Toni) and Sinead Matthews (Paula) lead the cast as the titular Hull-based friends, who viewers were introduced to in the recent Hullraisers trailer.
“The series explores the hilarious and agonising reality of what it is to be a working-class woman juggling work, kids, demanding friends, family and frustrating parents from the school playground – all whilst trying to have some fun too,” Channel 4 teases.
Read on for all the cast members and central characters in Channel 4’s Hullraisers.
Taj Atwal plays Rana
Who is Rana? Toni’s best friend and sister-in-law to Paula, she’s described as “a powerhouse policewoman whose daily life is ruled by her libido. She’d rather ‘investigate’ the full spectrum of Hull’s hottest bachelors than settle down”.
Where have I seen Taj Atwal before? She played PC Tatleen Sohota in Line of Duty and Roxy in The Syndicate, and has starred in Memory, Truth Seekers, No Offence, Stella, and In the Club, among other projects.
Leah Brotherhead plays Toni
Who is Toni? An “impulsive” and chaotic aspiring actress with no acting credits to her name, she’s a mum to 4-year-old Grace but still daydreams about pre-parenthood and leaving Hull.
Where have I seen Leah Brotherhead before? Brotherhead has starred in the likes of Vera, Bridgerton (as Joanna in the episode Swish), White Gold, Zomboat!, and Doctors.
Sinead Matthews plays Paula
Who is Paula? Toni’s sister, and married to Rana’s big brother Dane, she’s a mother-of-two and a real homebody, in contrast to her younger sister.
Where have I seen Sinead Matthews before? You might recognise her as Marcia Williams in The Crown, Emma in Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum, Miss Topsey in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, or as the Bennet family’s singing maid in the Keira Knightley film Pride and Prejudice. She’s also starred in The Boat That Rocked, Black Mirror, and The Smoke.
Yanick Ghanty plays Dane
Who is Dane? Husband to Paul and Rana’s big brother, he has two kids, 17-year-old Ashley and 7-year-old Jake.
Where have I seen Yanick Ghanty before? He starred Bring On the Bollywood, and several TV series documentaries including Spy Wars and World’s Most Evil Killers.
Perry Fitzpatrick plays Craig
Who is Craig? Toni’s “soulmate”, whom she adores.
Where have I seen Perry Fitzpatrick before? He recently played DS Chris Lomax in Line of Duty, and Johnny in We Hunt Together. He’s also starred in Suspects, Drifts, and I Am Nicola (opposite his Line of Duty co-star Vicky McClure).
Merch Husey plays Aldi
Who is Aldi? An old flame of Rana’s.
Where have I seen Merch Husey before? He played Zoltan in The Durrells, Young Meacenas in Domina, and has appeared in the likes of Ransom and Going the Distance.
In addition to the main cast, the series will also feature Line of Duty’s Craig Parkinson in a cameo appearance.
Hullraisers is coming soon to Channel 4. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
