Unforgotten S7: Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan return as DI Khan and DCI James with Sophie Rundle joining the cast
The team "investigate a complex and emotionally charged cold case"
Unforgotten will be back for a series 7 with DI Sunny Khan and DCI Jess James returning to “investigate a complex and emotionally charged cold case”.
ITV confirmed the award-winning crime drama would be back for a new series way back in 2025. But now we can reveal that Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan have finally started filming the new episodes.
It’s the news we’ve been waiting for. Surely it can’t just be us who feels like the wait between series is always too long?
Series 6 ended in February 2025, and it’s unlikely we’ll see anything new this year. But there’s always hope! Here’s everything we know so far about Unforgotten series 7, including plot, cast, start date, and latest news.
Is there a series 7 of Unforgotten on ITV?
Yes, there sure is a series 7 of Unforgotten, and it’s currently in production. ITV confirmed a new series after the success of series 6 back in February 2025.
Sinéad Keenan and Sanjeev Bhaskar announced the critically-acclaimed drama had been recommissioned via social media. They unveiled a script for series seven along with a message thanking viewers for their support.
As per usual, series creator and Executive Producer Chris Lang will write the seventh series. Andy Wilson, who has directed all previous six series, will return to direct.
Award-winning screenwriter Chris Lang said at the time: “I am so delighted to have been asked to create another series of Unforgotten, and given the opportunity once again to follow Sunny, Jess and their brilliant team, as they attempt to crack another cold case.
“Unforgotten is a drama that has always asked its audience to lean in, concentrate, and engage with complex ideas, plots and themes. And we are profoundly grateful that such a large and loyal audience continue to enjoy doing exactly that. Roll on series 7!”
When’s the start date of Unforgotten series 7?
Sadly, Unforgotten fans will have to be patient as they wait for the upcoming series 7. The cast and crew have only just started filming the new episodes, so don’t expect them any time soon.
We fear the series might even be released as far away as early 2027. The popular detective drama began in 2015, and has averaged roughly a series every two years.
Series 2 came in 2017, with series 3 following in 2018, and series 4 in 2021. Fans welcomed series 5 in 2023 – with new leading lady Sinéad Keenan replacing Nicola Walker. The last season landed on ITV in 2025. So 2027 is looking likely for series 7.
Who’s in the cast of Unforgotten series 7?
Of course, the ridiculously likeable Sanjeev Bhaskar will be back as DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan. And, yes, we’re sure we’ll have his favourite co-star – his beloved backpack – close by. Sanjeev will soon appear in The Split spin-off The Split Up. But he’s best known for his comedic roles in Goodness Gracious Me, and The Kumars.
Sinéad Keenan will also be returning as Sunny’s sidekick DCI Jess James. Equally brilliant, true crime fans will know Sinéad from her hard-hitting roles in Little Boy Blue, and Three Families.
Jess and Sunny’s loyal police team also reassemble. Fans will be pleased to see Jordan Long return as DS Murray Boulting, Carolina Main back as DS Fran Lingley, and Pippa Nixon reprise her role as DC Kaz Willets.
Georgia Mackenzie also returns as Pathologist Dr Leanne Balcombe. Viewers will know that Leanne and Sunny stumbled into a cute relationship in series 6 – until she admitted that she had a secret child she’d abandoned in her past.
Other returning cast members include Andrew Lancel as Jess’ ex-husband, Steve, and Kate Robbins as her mother, Kate.
Guest cast of Unforgotten series 7 announced
Fans of the long-running detective drama – easily one of the best on TV – will know that each series has a rather impressive gaggle of guest stars. And series 7 is no exception. In fact, we might argue it’s the best yet!
Step forward Sophie Rundle, currently blowing everyone away with her portrayal of DC Joanna Marshall in After the Flood. She’ll play social worker Mary Brock. The actress is also known for Gentleman Jack, and Peaky Blinders.
Green Wing’s Julian Rhind-Tutt will also be joining the cast as addict Hugh Swafham, opposite Silent Witness’ Jo Hartley, and Vera’s Paul Kaye.
Also joining the ensemble cast are: Nathan Barley’s Nicholas Burns, Trigger Point’s Natalie Simpson as journalist Ruby Allenford, Little Disasters’ Ben Bailey Smith, and Coronation Street’s Paula Wilcox.
Other confirmed names include:
- Kirsty J Curtis (Joan, Harlots) as inmate Lacee Cook
- Andrew Tiernan (Joan, Happy Valley)
- Dominic Coleman (Bridgerton, The Jetty)
- David Fynn (Daddy Issues, Lazarus)
- India Brown (Honey Bunch, Invasion)
- Sonya Nisa (Waterloo Road, Damsel)
- Joshua Sher (Lynley, Vera)
- Rachel Atkins (The Hack, Grantchester)
- Roger Dipper (Malice, Sherwood)
- Cameron Jack (River City, The Wheel of Time)
- Mark Jax (Jack Ryan, Merlin)
- Joe McNamara (Call the Midwife)
- Yazdan Qafouri (I Came By)
- Philip Martin Brown (Darkest Hour, Waterloo Road)
ITV Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair Jones said: “Once again Chris Lang has created a compelling set of characters interwoven in an intriguing and enticing story, one that will keep Jess and Sunny and the audience guessing until the very end.”
What is the plot?
Series 7 of Unforgotten opens with the chilling discovery of human remains in the crawl space of a house in Ladbroke Grove, London. Early forensic analysis suggests the body is that of a child which has been deliberately concealed for several years. The investigation takes a deeply personal turn for the team when a DNA match links the victim to a previously closed historic case… DI Sunny Khan and DCI Jess James revisit the original inquiry and unravel the truth behind a decades-old crime.
The synopsis tells us: “The investigation into the young victim’s life leads the team to a new cast of characters whose present-day lives conceal dark secrets. These include troubled social worker Mary Brock, respected inmate Lacee Cook, struggling addict Hugh Swafham, and tenacious journalist, Ruby Allenford.”
Head of Scripted Content and Executive Producer at MASTERPIECE, Susanne Simpson commented: “Unforgotten continues to be one of the most powerful series on television. The exceptional writer Chris Lang delivers yet another complex mystery that is nuanced and full of humanity.”
What filming locations were used?
The new series will showcase a diverse range of locations across the UK, setting the scene for the new investigation. These include the central London location of Ladbroke Grove, the coastal setting of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and locations in Coventry and Halifax.
Reading Prison will also feature.
How many episodes will it be?
Unforgotten series 7 will be six episodes of 45 minutes each (excluding ads).
This is the pattern followed by all previous series.
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