Sinéad Keenan joins the cast of crime drama Unforgotten as DCI Jessica James with Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khan

DCI Jessica James will be played by RTS award-winning actress Sinéad Keenan in ITV's critically acclaimed and RTS nominated crime thriller Unforgotten, developed and written by renowned playwright Chris Lang and produced by Mainstreet Pictures. Sinéad O'Connor, who was also nominated for a BAFTA for her performance as Melanie Jones in Little Boy Blue, will begin filming her new part later this month opposite Sanjeev Bhaskar, who has played DI Sunil 'Sunny' Khan in four previous series of the enormously acclaimed cold case murder drama.

Commented Sinéad Keenan:
"I have long been an admirer of Chris Lang's work so I am absolutely delighted to be joining the Unforgotten team. I'm very much looking forward to working with the extraordinary cast led by the brilliant and incredibly lovely, Sanjeev Bhaskar. And I'm hoping that if I play my cards right I might even get to take a peek in Sunny's backpack!"

The new series opens with the clock ticking down to DCI James's first day in her new job with an unforeseen and devastating introduction to her family life. Determined to make a good first impression with her new colleagues, will Jess be in the right frame of mind to deliver and inspire the team? And inevitably how will the ghost of much-loved former colleague Cassie Stuart haunt her? After all, Cassie will be big shoes for her to fill. Does she have the resolve, professionalism and spirit to live up to her much-admired and respected predecessor? Jess's first case is the discovery of human remains in a newly renovated period property in Hammersmith, London. But how long have they been there and is this a murder dating back to the 1930's or has the body been disposed of in more recent times?

As the murder mystery unfolds, we'll explore the lives of several central characters Jay, played by Rhys Yates (The Outlaws, Silent Witness), Bele with Martina Laird (Summerland, The Bay) in the role, Tony played by Ian McElhinney (Game of Thrones, Derry Girls), and Max Rinehart (Jekyll and Hyde, Miss You Already) as Karol, who on the face of it appear seemingly unconnected to the victim. Hayley Mills will also play Tony's wife, Emma. DI Khan's loyal and hard-working cold case investigations team are also back together for the series with Jordan Long as DS Murray Boulting and Carolina Main as DC Fran Lingley reprising their roles. Returning to the series are Georgia Mackenzie as pathologist Dr Leanne Balcombe, Michelle Bonnard as Sunny's partner, Sal and Pippa Nixon as DC Kaz Willets.