Unforgotten Season 6 has arrived, and once again, it throws viewers into a gripping cold case that blends heartbreaking personal stories with razor-sharp detective work. Fans will see both beloved familiar faces and striking new additions to the ensemble.
If you're wondering exactly who plays whom this season, here's your complete cast and character guide. Sanjeev Bhaskar, Sinéad Keenan, and an all-star guest cast return to make this mystery one of the most compelling yet.
Unforgotten Season 6 cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the PBS series?
1] Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khan
DI Sunny Khan is back, and his backpack remains just as iconic as his detective instincts. For longtime fans, Sunny's character arc has been layered with grief ever since Cassie's passing, but Unforgotten Season 6 is where he finds himself starting to learn to breathe again, albeit slowly and steadily.

His partnership with Jess James has now softened into mutual respect, even after last year's commotion. It is also important to note that Sanjeev Bhaskar has led the show ever since its very first season.
Outside of Unforgotten, you might recognize Bhaskar for his comedy skills in projects like Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No. 42. You might also recognize him from Netflix's The Sandman.
2] Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jess James
Unforgotten Season 6 sees DCI Jess James on steadier ground after the huge storm-like introduction she had in Season 5.
Picking up the remains after Cassie's tragic death wasn't easy, and her private heartbreak, where she then found out about her husband's affair with her sister, only increased her guarded outside self. However, Jess is now growing to put on a stronger working bond with Sunny.
You might recognize Keenan for being in projects such as Being Human, Little Boy Blue, and Three Families.
3] Jordan Long as DS Murray Boulting
DS Murray Boulting has been part of the investigative family ever since the very beginning.
As a dependable and calm character, Murray brings a sort of grounded energy that balances out the more emotionally anxious team members. By Unforgotten Season 6, he's settled under Jess's leadership, helping to steady the team whenever tensions rise.
His career outside Unforgotten includes Andor, The Gentlemen, and Taboo, among other projects.
4] Carolina Main as DC Fran Lingley
Fran Lingley is one of the detectives who struggled the most with Cassie's death, but by Unforgotten Season 6, she has accepted the new normal and Jess's leadership and believes in moving forward even though it might be hard and difficult.
Always empathetic and perceptive, Fran continues to be an important member of the unit's problem-solving
Carolina Main, who brings Fran to life, has previously starred in projects such as Blood and Temple, along with appearances in The Test and Grantchester.
5] Pippa Nixon as DC Karen Willets
DC Karen Willets rounds out Sunny and Jess's team, adapting far better to her new boss in Unforgotten Season 6 than she did in Season 5. Her character continues to highlight the quieter, behind-the-scenes police work that often proves vital to solving the case.
Pippa Nixon, who plays Karen, is also known for her roles in Angela Black, The Chelsea Detective, and Doc Martin.
6] Maximilian Fairley as Marty Baines
Marty Baines is one of the most striking new characters in Unforgotten Season 6. An autistic young man living in Kent with his disabled mother, Dot, Marty struggles with loneliness and turns to online spaces for a sense of belonging.
Maximilian Fairley, making his television debut here, spoke openly about the importance of his role.
He talked about it in an interview by saying:
"I always felt for a long time that autistic characters were often consigned to background roles or 'the victim,' and seeing Chris [Lang] challenge that with Marty's story is really refreshing..."
A graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Fairley is neurodiverse, having high-functioning autism.
7] MyAnna Buring as Melinda Ricci
Melinda Ricci is a television commentator with unapologetically provocative views, often stirring controversy through her news segment Mel's Minute. But behind this made-up outer persona is a personal tragedy where her fiancé, Patrick, is now paralyzed after suffering through an accident.

MyAnna Buring described her reaction to reading Melinda's dialogue, telling ITV:
"When I first read them, I literally threw up in my mouth."
Known for The Witcher, Ripper Street, Kill List, and The Twilight Saga, Buring makes Melinda a fascinatingly conflicted character.
8] Emmett J. Scanlan as Patrick
Patrick, Melinda's fiancé, is in rehab after a devastating accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Determined yet vulnerable, his struggle forms one of Unforgotten Season 6's most emotional plots.

Emmett J. Scanlan, who plays him, has become a regular of crime and drama series, with roles in Peaky Blinders, The Tower, and Gangs of London.
9] Victoria Hamilton as Juliet Cooper
Juliet Cooper is a history lecturer and university faculty head who finds herself at the center of academic controversy after a complaint from a student.

At home, she's a bereaved widow struggling with her teenage daughter Taylor's rebellion. Victoria Hamilton, a veteran of screen and stage, plays Juliet with quiet strength.
You might recognize her from The Crown, Doctor Foster, and Pride & Prejudice.
10] Pixie Davies as Taylor Cooper
Taylor Cooper, Juliet's teenage daughter, is battling grief after losing her father while also navigating trouble at school. Her character embodies the ripple effects of trauma within a family already under strain.
Pixie Davies, who plays Taylor, has been acting since she was six. You may remember her from Utopia, Mary Poppins Returns, and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.
11] Elham Ehsas as Asif Syed
Asif Syed is a refugee from Afghanistan working towards forwarding his UK citizenship test. As a character, he is kindhearted and is eager to give back to his community. Asif's journey shows the shaky balance of survival and belonging in a new space.

Elham Ehsas, who takes on the role, is known for Homeland, The Kite Runner, and Young Wallander.
12] Ahmad Sakhi as Hassan
Hassan undertakes a harrowing escape from Afghanistan to the UK, driven by the threat of death in his homeland. His being involved in Unforgotten Season 6 ties together another global layer into Unforgotten's storytelling.
Ahmad Sakhi, who plays Hassan, has recently appeared in Malpractice & Coronation Street.
13] Georgia Mackenzie as Dr. Leanne Balcombe
Dr. Leanne Balcombe is back as the team's pathologist, once again helping Sunny and Jess unravel the story hidden in the remains.
With Unforgotten Season 6, she also grows closer to Sunny on a personal level, bonding over their shared solitude.
Georgia Mackenzie has appeared in Silent Witness, Midsomer Murders, and Waterloo Road.
The cast of Unforgotten Season 6 seems to be a mixed bag of the comfort of the regular characters with new and complex new characters who keep the show's well-developed formula alive.
With Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan at the front and a remarkable supporting team, Unforgotten Season 6 promises to deliver emotional depth as well as revelations that might very well be shocking.
Each and every character adds a new layer to the mystery, making sure that fans remain hooked to their seats until the very last reveal.