The new binge-worthy drama from Harlan Coben arrives on Netflix on January 1. It reunites the creative team behind last year’s huge Netflix hit Fool Me Once, and also sees the action all relocated to the UK from the novel’s US.
The series focuses on Kat Donovan, played by Rosalind Eleazar, as a detective specialising in Missing Persons. Eleven years ago, her fiance Josh, the love of her life, vanished without a trace, and she hasn’t heard from him since.
Now, swiping profiles on a dating app, she suddenly sees his face and her world explodes all over again. Josh’s unexpected reappearance will force her to dive back into the mystery surrounding her father’s murder and uncover long-buried secrets from her past.
Missing You boasts an all star cast, including national treasure Sir Lenny Henry, comedy star Steve Pemberton, Cold Feet star James Nesbitt and the return of Richard Armitage to another Harlan Coben thriller. There’s also some surprise cameos to look out for too in the opening episode.
For TWO former I’m a Celebrity….Get Me Out of Here stars turn up in guest roles. They are Busted star Matt Willis, and youtuber GK Barry. That’s as well as main cast member Jessica Plummer, who plays Stacey, who appeared in the 2020 series of I’m a Celebrity.
The series follows the success of another Coben thriller, Fool Me Once starring Michelle Keegan, which was named as the number 1 most-viewed TV show, with over 108m views, on Netflix for the first half of 2024. It also brought filming back to Manchester and the north west of England, which loom large in all the dramatic scenes.
Here’s a round-up of all the characters, who plays them and where you might have seen them before on screen.
Detective Kat Donovan – played by Rosalind Eleazar
Police detective Kat Donovan is the central character in Missing You. Actress Rosalind Eleazar takes on the role, who has previously starred in the BBC drama Harlots as Violet Cross.
Previous roles have also included playing Louisa Guy in the Apple TV drama Slow Horses and as Kate in ITV’s Deep Water.
Josh Buchanan – played by Ashley Walters
Ashley Walters plays Josh
(Image: Thomas Wood/Netflix)
In the story we are soon introduced to the character of Josh, who is Kat’s ex-fiance who disappeared without trace from her life 11 years ago, through flashbacks to the past. He is played in the Netflix drama by Ashley Walters.
Many will know him for his leading role as Dushane Hill in Channel 4 crime drama Top Boy, and also for playing Ronnie Pike Jr in Sky’s Bulletproof, which he also co-wrote. He is also known for his music career under the name Asher D, having first found fame in the 1990s with So Solid Crew.
Ellis Stagger – played by Richard Armitage
Richard Armitage plays Ellis Stagger
(Image: Vishal Sharma/Netflix)
Ellis Stagger is the police chief and confidante of Kat in the drama, who urges her not to continue her mission to find answers in the killing of her father.
He is played by Richard Armitage who returns for his fourth Harlan Coben thriller on Netflix, following the success of previous dramas he’s appeared in Stay Close, The Stranger and last year’s Fool Me Once with Michelle Keegan.
Armitage has a lengthy career in TV and film behind him, from his breakthrough role in period drama North And South through to roles on BBC’s Spooks and in blockbuster movie The Hobbit.
Clint Donovan – played by Sir Lenny Henry
National treasure Sir Lenny Henry plays DS Clint Donovan, the loving dad to Kat Donovan, who we find out early in the drama has been murdered. We get to see him in flashback scenes throughout the series piecing together the mysteries of the past.
Sir Lenny first found fame as a stand-up comedian and impressionist, before transitioning to more acting roles in recent years including in the Amazon Prime Lord of the Rings series.
Charlie Pitts – played by Charlie Hamblett
Charlie is played by Charlie Hamblett, Kat (centre) played by Rosalind Eleazar and Nia (right) played by Catherine Ayers
(Image: Netflix)
Introduced as a “digital tech whizz” brought in to help Kat in her police work, he’s the new boy who soon gets involved in the drama.
Actor Charlie is best known for his role in hit BBC drama Killing Eve.
Police officer Nia – played by Catherine Ayers
We are introduced to Nia in the police station as one of Kat’s colleagues, who is in the midst of taking her detective exams. She is played by actress Catherine Ayers who is known for roles in BBC’s Keeping Faith and Welsh thriller Byw Celwydd.
Stacey Embalo is played by Jessica Plummer
Jessica Plummer as Stacey, Rosalind Eleazar as Kat Donovan in Missing You
(Image: Vishal Sharma/Netflix)
Stacey is introduced to the drama as one of Kat’s best friends, and is a yoga-loving private investigator.
She is played by actress Jessica Plummer, who is known for previous roles in EastEnders and The Girl Before. Like fellow cast member Ashley Walters, she also has a pop career behind her, having been a member of the band Neon Jungle. She also appeared in the 2020 series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
Aqua Vanech – played by Mary Malone
Yoga teacher Aqua is another of Kat’s best friends. Although like everyone in the drama, it soon becomes clear she is hiding some secrets.
Aqua is played by Mary Malone who is known for previous roles in Doctor Who and The Prince.
Monte Leburne – played by Marc Warren
Monte Leburne is introduced to the action as the villain of the piece, the professional hitman who is in prison for killing Kat’s police chief father Clint 11 years before. We learn that he is dying from cancer and that Kat is desperate to quiz him on what actually happened in the lead up to her dad’s death.
The character is described by the lead writer as “a very difficult character in that he is quite legendary. We need to believe why he is so scary. He has the most intimate, terrifying, difficult moment with a character who we love. By the end of episode 1 we completely understand why Monte is such a threat and why this man has had a hold over people for so long.”
It’s another Netflix Harlan Coben return for Warren – who has previously appeared in Safe. He is also famous for roles in Mad Dogs, Snatch, State of Play and Hustle.
Odette Donovan – played by Brigid Zengeni
Odette is Kat’s mum, who urges her to stay away from Monte Leburne. We see her in the family home at the start of the drama. Odette is played by actress Brigid Zengeni who has appeared in BBC’s Motherland and as well as a host of theatre productions.
Titus Monroe – played by Steve Pemberton
Titus is played by Steve Pemberton
(Image: Vishal Sharma/Netflix)
The sinister figure of Titus is introduced as the owner of a dog farm in a remote rural location. As the drama unfolds, his dark side is well and truly revealed.
Many will immediately recognise Steve Pemberton for his iconic comedy characters on The League of Gentleman, and in more recent years his roles on the BBC’s Inside No9 and Happy Valley.
Nurse Sally Steiner – played by Samantha Spiro
Sally Steiner is the rather stern and slightly surreal nurse who is looking after dying villain Monte Leburne. Viewers will recognise actress Samantha Spiro from her previous roles playing Carry On film icon Barbara Windsor on stage and screen. The actress is also famous for roles as Maureen Goff in Sex Education and as Liza Epstein in Ridley Road.
Detective Terry Kohl – played by Simon Kunz
The elder statesman of the police department, Kohl is seen having his retirement party in episode two. He is played by actor Simon Kunz who has had a long career in TV and film. But many watching will recognise him for his most famous movie moment – in Four Weddings and A Funeral – as the wedding guest Hugh Grant puts his foot in it with.
Brendan Fells – played by Oscar Kennedy
Kat with Brendan, played by Oscar Kennedy
(Image: James Stack/Netflix)
Brendan is introduced to the action as a young man reporting that his mum Dana has gone missing to Detective Donovan. Although it soon becomes clear he knows a lot more about Kat than she would like. Brendan is played by actor Oscar Kennedy.
He has previously appeared in BBC dramas The Politician’s Wife, The White Queen, Wreck and Ladhood.
Dana Fells – played by Lisa Faulkner
The missing mum of Brendan Fells, we see Dana in flashback scenes, including CCTV of the moment she withdraws cash from an ATM. She will be instanly recognisable to viewers as former EastEnders, Holby City and Unforgotten star Lisa Faulkner. Lisa also famously won Celebrity MasterChef in 2010, and would go on to marry the show’s co-host John Torode.
Dominic Calligan – played by James Nesbitt
James Nesbitt plays Calligan in the series
(Image: Thomas Wood/Netflix)
Calligan is described as “The Big Bad” in the drama. Show executive producer Victoria Asare Archer says: “We wait a long time to see him, but Jimmy Nesbitt captures the moment when and where we meet him so well.
“Calligan is a criminal who is dark and amusing at the same time. Jimmy plays him with such flippancy and bitter joy. I think he is the only character in the whole series who you see really put Kat in her place as he holds so much power over her.”
Cold Feet star James Nesbitt made a return to Manchester for filming, a city he has regularly worked in over the years. He has previously appeared in Netflix hit Stay Close, also filmed in Manchester, as a detective, and is of course famous as a dodgy detective in BBC’s Bloodlands.
Darryl – played by Matt Jay-Willis
Viewers were in for a surprise in the opening scene, which features none other than Busted star Matt Willis, credited in the drama under the name Matt Jay-Willis. He plays the character of Darryl who is on a date and trying to impress Kat with his gym-honed physique.
While Matt is best known as a chart-topping rock star, he has also plenty of TV credits under his belt, including in Wolves of War and as a presenter on Love Is Blind.
Vanessa – played by GK Barry
Busted star Matt wasn’t the only surprise cameo in the first episode. And he was not the only I’m a Celebrity…. Get Me Out of Here star in the cast either.
For also making a surprise appearance in the drama in flashbacks from the opening moments (and in later scenes) is podcast star GK Barry.
She plays the sultry Vanessa in the drama, who appears in flashbacks to the hunted man Rishi, who we later discover is missing.
Rishi – played by Rudi Dharmalingam
The character of Rishi is seen in the opening moments of the drama, and we later discover he has been reported missing to police. He forms part of the sub-plot of the thriller.
He is played by actor Rudi Dharmalingam who is known for Sky’s The Lazarus Project and has previously appeared in Hollyoaks, Our Girl and The Bill.
Tessie – played by Jo Martin
We learn later in the drama of Tessie’s connection to Kat’s dad, and what she knows that may be connected with his death. Tessie is played by Dr Who star Jo Martin.
Reynaldo – played by Felix Garcia Guyer
One of the henchmen of Titus who we see undertaking dastardly deeds at the farm. Reynaldo is played by Felix Garcia Guyer. He has previously appeared in Sanctuary and Trial 22.