Unforgotten Series 6 Cast: Full List of Actors & Characters

Six seasons in, ITV’s Unforgotten has sustained itself despite a pattern of significant cast turnover—a feat most crime dramas cannot replicate. The show returned on 9 February 2025 with its most significant casting shift yet: Maximilian Fairley joining as Marty Baines, a deaf actor playing an autistic character.

Returning Lead: Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khan · New Lead: Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jess James · Notable Guest: MyAnna Buring as Melinda Ricci · Release Year: 2025 · Previous Lead Exit: Nicola Walker after Series 4

The table below consolidates the essential series details for quick reference.

Who are the actors in The Unforgotten season 6?

The main cast centers on the detectives investigating each season’s cold case. Sanjeev Bhaskar has been DI Sunny Khan across all six series, making him the show’s anchor through every transition. Sinéad Keenan joined in Series 5 as DCI Jess James and continues into Series 6, effectively replacing Nicola Walker’s DCI Cassie Stuart.

Returning cast members

Beyond the leads, several familiar faces return in supporting capacities. Carolina Main plays DS Fran Lingley (she joined from Series 2), Jordan Long stars as DS Murray Boulting, and Pippa Nixon returns as DC Karen Willets—absent in Series 2-3 but back for 4-6. Georgia Mackenzie appears again as pathologist Leanne Balcombe.

New lead actors

Maximilian Fairley is the most significant new addition, playing Marty Baines. Victoria Hamilton co-stars as Juliet Cooper, a troubled history lecturer and single mother. MyAnna Buring portrays Melinda Ricci, a conflicted right-wing news commentator.

Guest stars

Series 6 introduces Emmett J. Scanlan as Patrick, engaged to Melinda and paralyzed from a car accident. Michele Dotrice plays Dot Baines, Marty’s mother. Elham Ehsas appears as Asif Syed, an Afghan refugee. Pixie Davies plays Taylor Cooper, Juliet’s daughter. Andrew Lancel plays Steve James, DCI Jess James’ husband. Kate Robbins appears as Jess’ mother Kate.

The four suspects driving Series 6’s plot are Juliet Cooper, Melinda Ricci, Asif Syed, and Marty Baines—the human remains were found at Whitney Marsh in east London. Additional minor cast includes Adrian Rawlins (Paul Merrick), Ahmad Sakhi (Hassan), Lisa Davina Phillip (Doreen), Oliver Lansley (Gabriel), and Paul McQuaid (Dr Clacy).

Why did Nicola Walker leave Unforgotten?

Nicola Walker played DCI Cassie Stuart through the first four series of Unforgotten, from its 8 October 2015 premiere through 2021. She departed at the end of Series 4, and the character was not written out—she simply did not return. No public statement from Walker has specified her reason for leaving.

Sinéad Keenan replaced her as DCI Jess James starting with Series 5 in February 2023. The show continued with Sanjeev Bhaskar’s DI Sunny Khan as the male lead pairing alongside the new female lead. Walker has not appeared in Series 5 or Series 6.

Is the autistic actor in Unforgotten really autistic?

Maximilian Fairley, who plays Marty Baines in Series 6, is a deaf actor. Sources differ on whether he is also autistic himself. What is confirmed is that he plays an autistic character, and the portrayal has been praised for its authenticity. A What to Watch article notes Fairley’s own deafness adds depth to the role, though it describes his personal autism status with medium confidence.

Marty Baines portrayal

Marty Baines is one of four suspects in Series 6’s cold case. He is depicted as an autistic man living with his mother Dot (played by Michele Dotrice). The casting choice to use a deaf actor for an autistic character has drawn attention for its commitment to authentic disabled representation on screen.

Actor background

Maximilian Fairley is described as a newcomer to the series. TV Guide UK notes he plays Marty Baines in Series 6, with the casting being part of the show’s broader effort to bring disabled actors into meaningful roles.

Whether Fairley’s autism status matches his character’s is not confirmed across all sources. The more defensible claim is that a deaf actor plays an autistic character—representation that still meaningfully advances authentic casting, even if the disability categories do not align one-for-one.

Is Marty in Unforgotten really autistic season 6?

Yes—Marty Baines (played by Maximilian Fairley) is depicted as autistic within Series 6’s narrative. He appears as one of four suspects connected to the human remains discovered at Whitney Marsh in east London. The show’s portrayal of his daily life includes scenes with his mother Dot, highlighting his living situation and social interactions.

Character details

Marty is portrayed living at home with his mother Dot Baines (Michele Dotrice). His autism is a central aspect of his character in Series 6, with the plot weaving his experience into the investigation’s broader narrative.

Casting choices

The decision to cast Maximilian Fairley—himself a deaf actor—in this role reflects a deliberate effort by the production to bring lived experience to the role, even as the specific disability categories differ. This approach has been noted positively in coverage of the series.

What happened to Sunny’s girlfriend in Unforgotten series?

Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) has been a constant across all six series of Unforgotten. Details about his romantic storyline or relationships have evolved across seasons, though specific plot developments around his personal life vary. The show has always balanced the cold case investigations with personal storylines for the detectives.

Storyline recap

Series 6 continues Sunny’s role as the lead detective, now working alongside DCI Jess James (Sinéad Keenan). While the promotional material emphasizes the four suspects and the investigation, personal developments for Sunny are woven throughout the five episodes.

Series 6 implications

With Series 7 already announced by ITV in February 2025, Sunny’s character remains central to the show’s future. The showrunner Chris Lang has structured each season around new cold cases and new suspects, keeping the detective work fresh while maintaining the core cast.

“Unforgotten is finally back on our screens, with Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinad Keenan leading the cast of series 6 which is as good as it’s ever been.”

— TV Guide UK

“Chris Lang’s casting deliberately populates each suspect category with a distinct background—lecturer, commentator, refugee, autistic man living with his mother.”

— Rotten Tomatoes

The transition from Nicola Walker’s Cassie Stuart to Sinéad Keenan’s Jess James reshaped the show’s dynamic, but Bhaskar’s Sunny Khan has provided continuity throughout. With Maximilian Fairley’s Marty Baines introducing a new kind of suspect—one whose perspective is shaped by disability—the show signals it can keep evolving even as its sixth season airs. Sinéad Keenan’s DCI Jess James brings renewed energy to the partnership.

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Sanjeev Bhaskar returns as DI Sunny Khan opposite Sinéad Keenan in Unforgotten series 6, where the full series 6 cast list details guest stars like MyAnna Buring.

Frequently asked questions