The Cage on BBC One: Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha lead cast, alongside several iconic Brookside stars and writer cameo
Expect to see some famous TV Scousers!
The Cage on BBC One stars Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha as a “the world’s worst Bonnie and Clyde”, and the supporting cast is as brilliant as you’d expect from the writer of The Responder.
Talking of Tony Schumacher, eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot the writer – and former actor – in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene during episode 1.
In fact, there’s a huge ensemble cast with some famous faces from Brookside, Hollyoaks, Coronation Street, and Band of Gold.
The BBC One crime drama follows two likeable casino employees who catch each other trying to steal from their employer. As their lives spiral out of control, they make a pact to continue stealing as a team. But, of course, it’s a dangerous path…
Here’s who plays who in the cast of The Cage on BBC One.
Sheridan Smith stars as Leanne
Beloved actress Sheridan Smith, 44, leads the cast as casino cashier Leanne in the cast of The Cage on BBC One. And she needs no introduction. One of TV’s most bankable actresses, she got her big break in 1999 when she landed the part of Emma in the BBC comedy, The Royle Family.
Ralph Little played the part of Anthony, and Sheridan would go on to star opposite him again. In 2001, she was cast as Janet in BBC Two’s Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
In 2005, Lincolnshire-born Sheridan landed a main part in BBC comedy drama Love Soup. She played Cleo Martin, the slightly strange colleague of Alice Chenery (portrayed by Tamsin Greig). From 2006 to 2009, Sheridan starred as Michelle Booth in BBC Three sitcom Grown Ups.
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Sheridan made her Gavin & Stacey debut in 2008. She was cast as Rudi, the annoying younger sister of lead character Smithy (James Corden). Sheridan continued to reprise this role over the years, reuniting with her co-stars for one last time in December 2024 for Gavin & Stacey: The Final.
As well as comedy – and a hugely successful theatre career – Sheridan has also appeared in some hard-hitting, award-winning dramas. These include 2012’s Mr Biggs, 2015’s The C Word, and 2017’s The Moorside.
She won a National Television Award for starring as Cilla Black in the ITV biopic Cilla, and went on to front the six-part ITV series Cleaning Up. She also played the main role of Jenna Garvey in the first series of Channel 5’s The Teacher.
Last year, she played the inspirational Ann Ming in ITV true crime drama I Fought the Law. The show was based on Ann’s 15-year battle to overturn the UK’s double jeopardy law.
The Cage on BBC One cast: Michael Socha plays Matty
Derby-born Michael Socha, 38, portrays Matty in Tony Schumacher’s latest drama The Cage on BBC One. Matty is a likeable loser, with a gambling addict.
Michael was plucked from obscurity as a teenager. After appearing in some local productions, the actor subsequently won the role of a lifetime when Shane Meadows chose him to appear in This is England. The breakthrough role in 2006 came when Michael was still just a teenager. He was cast as school bully Harvey in Shane Meadows‘ skinhead subculture film. He reprised the role in the subsequent TV series This Is England ’86, This Is England ’88, and This Is England ’90.
After finding fame in This Is England, Michael went on to prove himself in both comedy and drama. Between 2011 and 2013, Michael portrayed werewolf Tom McNair in supernatural drama Being Human. The actor subsequently played Lewis in the mini-series The Aliens, Mikhail in Chernobyl, and Kenny Meadows in the sublime prison drama Time.
He had a short-lived career in the States, after playing Will Scarlet – aka The Knave of Hearts – in Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, and Once Upon a Time.
After portraying David Hartley in Shane Meadows’ The Gallows Pole in 2023, Michael’s career changed shape as he started getting coveted primetime roles. These include Dave Chapman in DI Ray, PC Justin Mitchell in Showtrial series 2, Peter in Toxic Town, and Steve in What It Feels Like for a Girl.
He’s been in tonnes of films, too, including Better Things, The Unloved, Stone Roses drama Spike Island, and Papillon.
Geraldine James portrays Nancy Packer
Berkshire-born Geraldine James, 75, stars as casino owner Nancy Parker. She brings a touch of elegance to the grubby casino where Matty and Leanne work – and has no idea her son Gary is laundering money through the business.
She started her career in the 70s as a young actress, appearing in dramas such as The Jewel in the Crown. But she really made her mark playing sex worker Rose Garrity in Band of Gold, and the subsequent spin-off Gold between 1995 and 1997.
Other notable roles came in Kavanagh QC, The Sins, White Teeth, Utopia, The Five, and State of Play. She’s well versed in comedic roles, too, having appeared in Little Britain, Dope Girls, and Back to Life.
Marilla Cuthbert in the Netflix drama Anne with an E. More recently, Geraldine has appeared in The Beast Must Die, Silo, Dope Girls, and Run Away.
The Cage on BBC One cast: Barry Sloane is Gary Packer
Liverpool-born Barry Sloane should feel right at home playing gangster Gary in the cast of The Cage on BBC One. Not only is he filming in his hometown, he’s also back to playing a villain! Of course, soap fans will know he played killer Niall Rafferty in Hollyoaks between 2007 and 2008.
The 45-year-old first trained as a musician and an actor, before landing his first professional job in a 2000 TV film about John Lennon. The part of child abuser Sean Smith in Brookside came his way in 2002 – and he subsequently made 65 appearances in the soap.
In 2003, we saw him in the BAFTA-winning Pleasureland, before he won the role of Niall Rafferty in Hollyoaks in 2007.
He also turned up in The Bill, Doctors, Casualty and Holby City before some memorable turns in DCI Banks and, most recently, as Chris Fischer in The Bay. Other notable roles include Boyo in the TV movie Gotham, DS Jim Dawson in ITVX’s Litvinenko, and Jake Reilly in Bluff City Law.
Barry has also enjoyed US TV success with his roles in Revenge, The Whispers, Longmire, Saints & Strangers, Six and LA’s Finest.
More recently, Barry has played Connor Maguire in The Company You Keep, Eddie Wells in the baffling ITV thriller Passenger, Destruction in The Sandman, and DS Ezra Slater in The Hack.
Sue Jenkins stars as Matty’s mum Shelagh
Fellow Scouser Sue Jenkins, 67, portrays Matty’s mum Shelagh in The Cage. Of course, Brookside fans will know the actress for her role as Jackie Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap.
She played Jackie between 1991 and 2001, who was the long-suffering wife of Jimmy Corkhill.
Before that, she portrayed Gloria Todd in ITV’s Corrie between 1984 and 1988. Gloria was a popular Rovers barmaid, who had disastrous relationships with Alan Bradley and Mike Baldwin. She eventually left the Street when she stole Sandra Stubbs’ boyfriend Pete Shaw.
Believe it or not, her very first TV role was in 1961 when she was just a toddler. During her five-decade career, Sue has also played Charlotte Holroyd in How We Used to Live, Julie Ryan in Coasting, and Bonnie Drinkwater in Emmerdale.
More recently, she’s popped up as Meg Mellor in The Archers, Nora in The Responder, and Bree Albright in The Good Ship Murder.
The actress is married to fellow actor David Fleeshman – who also appeared in Brookside – and they are parents to famous children Richard Fleeshman, Emily Fleeshman, and Rosie Fleeshman.
Louis Emerick stars as thug Paul
Liverpudlian Louis Emerick, 65, plays the weirdly likeable loanshark Paul in The Cage. But, like his co-star Sue Jenkins, he made his name in Brookside. Louis portrayed Mick Johnson from 1989 to 2001, before being cast in another big soap.
Mick Johnson was introduced to Brookside viewers in April 1989 and, in all, enjoyed a 12-year stint on the soap. The dependable taxi driver struggled with an obsession with steroids and a love triangle that included his brother Ellis.
Louis has hardly stopped working since he moved on from the role in August 2001. Coronation Street fans will immediately recognise him for playing retired teacher and French-speaking taxi driver Mike Thornberry, who fancied Liz McDonald but backed off due to Johnny Connor’s interest.
The Scouser also enjoyed a run in Last of the Summer Wine as PC Walsh, as well as playing Mike Bateman in Casualty. In fact, he reunited with Suzanne Packer to play Tess Bateman’s husband in the BBC hospital drama – and Suzanne previously played his on-screen Brookie spouse Josie Johnson!
Louis has also had memorable parts in the likes of Cold Feet, Merseybeat, Doctors, Waterloo Road, Holby City, Zapped, Vera and The Outlaws, as well as appearing in slick Daniel Craig gangster flick Layer Cake. In 2024, Louis played Matty in The Responder, and has reunited with the writer Tony Schmacher once again in The Cage.
Louis has been busy on-screen since 2024, playing Donny Clark in Hollyoaks, Vinnie in the comedy The Power of Parker, and Mr Meacher in G’wed.
Ian Puleston-Davies plays Vincent
Welsh actor Ian Puleston-Davies, 65, plays criminal Vincent in the cast of The Cage on BBC One. Of course, soap fans will know Ian best for playing Owen Armstrong between 2010 and 2015 in Coronation Street, but he’s been acting for nearly four decades.
Early roles included small parts in Boon, Brookside and Grange Hill. From 1995 to 1996, he played Terry Williams in Hollyoaks. Two years later, in 1998, he popped up in nine episodes of EastEnders as Jimmy.
He’s worked extensively as a jobbing actor in TV shows including The Bill, Conviction, Funland and Vincent. Ian also played Charlie Fisher in Waterloo Road, Peter Cullen in Marcella, Mick O’Callaghan in A Confession, and Frank Jackson in Tin Star.
Ian Puleston-Davies also starred in the doomed ITV series Viewpoint, and he is the voice of King Thistle in the surreal CBeebies show Ben & Hollys Little Kingdom.
More recently, Ian played Karl Turner MP in Four Lives, Professor Phil Scraton in Anne, and the villain in The Teacher series 1 (also with Sheridan Smith). He also popped up as DI Philip Mays in Silent Witness, Terry McGregor in The Bay, and Eric in The Responder. DI Ray fans will know the Welsh actor as Supt Ross Beardsmore.
This year, Ian portrayed Tony Rower in the cast of After the Flood series 2. Tony was a town councillor, so most of his storyline was with Lorraine Ashbourne’s character, Molly.
The Cage on BBC One cast: Shaun Mason stars as Alan
Shaun Mason, another Brookside graduate, plays Gary’s reluctant henchman Alan.
The actor, who was born with a hairlip like Strike’s Tom Burke, played Tommo in the C4 soap between 2002 and 2003. Other notable roles include Kyle Smart in Good Cop, Trevor in Cilla, Tall Paul in Snatch, and Flanagan in Time.
More recently, he portrayed Barry Mattocks in Dodger, Randall in Extraordinary, Ben in The Responder, and Burly in Steal.
Who else appears in the cast of The Cage on BBC One?
Sophie Mensah, 37, is “bizzie” Detective Sergeant Fen Ning. The Liverpool-born actress is best known for playing Maya Cooper in Welsh-language TV soap Pobol y Cwm. She’s also known for portraying Cheryl Lee in Sanctuary and, more recently, DS Bolton in Hollyoaks.
Veteran actress Eileen O’Brien stars as Leanne’s grandma Nanna, who has dementia. The 80-year-old Liverpudlian, a jobbing actress of more than five decades, has appeared in The Crezz, The Practice, And The Beat Goes On, and How We Used to Live.
Maddie Wright in Merseybeat. Most recently, Eileen starred as Esther in the TV series Goldie’s Oldies.
Actress Abby Mavers portrays Leanne’s sister Kelly. Waterloo Fans will know her for having played Dynasty Barry in the BBC One drama between 2013 and 2014.
Writer Tony Schumacher also makes a surprising cameo in episode one of The Cage. Although he previously worked as an actor, he’s better known for his penmanship these days. He makes a cheeky cameo sitting next to Leanne in the police station.
Nadia Albina appears briefly as Leanne and Thomas’ legal representation in episode 3. She’s best known for playing Diane in Doctor Who, and Verity Ross in A Thousand Blows.
Scouser Katy Carmichael plays DCI Hannigan. She’s famous for playing Lucy Barlow/Richards in Coronation Street between 2002 and 2003. She’s also appeared in Bread, Spaced, And the Beat Goes On, and Liverpool 1. In 2009, she portrayed Melissa Ryan in Waterloo Road.
Rob Jarvis portrays PC Ball. Hustle fans will know him as Eddie. He’s also played Russell Posner in Emmerdale, and Eddie Corrigan in River City.
Full cast list for The Cage on BBC One:
Sheridan Smith plays Leanne.
Michael Socha stars as Matty.
Geraldine James is Nancy Packer.
Barry Sloane portrays Gary Packer.
Louis Emerick plays Paul.
Sue Jenkins stars as Shelagh.
Ian Puleston-Davies plays Vincent.
Sophie Mensah is Detective Sergeant Fen Ning.
Eileen O’Brien stars as Nanna.
Shaun Mason plays Alan.
Abby Mavers portrays Kelly.
Patience star Lewis Ian Bray portrays Ben.
The Rumour‘s Julia Papp is Irina.
Eithne Browne – aka Chrissy Rogers in Brookside – stars as Annie.
G’wed’s Max Ainsworth plays Neil.
Newcomer Rose McDermott portrays Leanne’s daughter Ruby.
Liverpool Narcos’ Anton Bibby is Leanne’s son Thomas, aka Tommo.
Extraordinary’s Mona Goodwin stars as Trace.
Time’s Lee Morris plays Kendo.
Bolan’s Shoes star Freya Jones is Matty’s daughter Emily.
The Responder’s Dave Hart stars as Leanne’s ex Danny.
G’wed’s Gemma Barraclough plays Jade.
Amandaland’s Isobel Khan is Paige.
The Cage writer Tony Schumacher pops up as an unnamed character in the police station scenes.
