BBC just dropped a new cosy crime show called Death Valley, and wow, it’s making some serious noise! People are either loving it or hating it, no middle ground. Plus, it’s smashing records like a boss.
The show stars the super-famous Timothy Spall, who’s kind of a legend, teamed up with the fresh and talented Gwyneth Keyworth. Together, they make a pretty oddball crime-solving duo set against the stunning and peaceful countryside of Wales. It’s like murder mysteries meeting nature vibes.
Timothy Spall plays John Chapel, a retired actor who once starred in a hit detective TV show called Caesar. He’s a bit of a TV detective legend. Gwyneth’s character, Janie Mallowan, is an eager and determined real-life detective who’s a huge fan of Chapel. She ropes him in to help solve actual crimes!
This show isn’t just about jokes or crazy plot twists. Nope, it’s all about making you feel like a detective yourself, sitting on your couch, guessing who did it before the heroes do. It’s like a brain teaser wrapped in a murder mystery.
Death Valley started airing on BBC One in late May, and you can binge it right now on iPlayer. And if you’re a fan of British TV, you’ll spot some familiar faces like Steffan Rhodri and Melanie Walters from Gavin & Stacey popping up here and there.
So, if you love a good murder mystery with a chill countryside vibe and some clever detective work, this might just be your next binge-watch!
Death Valley cast: Full list of actors and characters
Here’s a quick look at the main cast in Death Valley, the key characters and actors you’ll love to see again and again in this mix of crime and comedy.
- Timothy Spall as John Chapel
- Gwyneth Keyworth as DS Janie Mallowan
- Steffan Rhodri as DCI Barry Clarke
- Alexandria Riley as Baxter
- Melanie Walters as Yvonne
- Rithvik Andugula as DC Evan Chaudhry
Timothy Spall as John Chapel
Who is John Chapel in Death Valley? John Chapel used to be a famous actor. He was well known for playing the main detective in a popular British TV show called Caesar. But after the show ended, he decided to leave the spotlight and move to a quiet countryside home in Wales. He wanted to live a peaceful, private life away from all the attention.
Then one day, a detective named Janie Mallowan, who is also a big fan of his, shows up at his door. She needs his help to solve a murder that happened nearby. This meeting is the start of a strange but interesting friendship and a team-up to solve crimes together.
Timothy Spall, the actor who plays John, said, “These characters are original and have real feelings. They’re both not very good at seeing their own mistakes but are really good at spotting each other’s, which makes their relationship funny and exciting to watch. Their friendship is unusual but strong, with many ups and downs. It was great that the people who made the show let me add my own ideas to make John’s character better.”
What else has Timothy Spall done? Timothy Spall is one of the most famous actors in the UK. He recently acted in popular BBC dramas like Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light and The Sixth Commandment. You might also know him as Peter Pettigrew from the Harry Potter movies. Besides that, he’s worked a lot with director Mike Leigh on movies like Secrets & Lies and Mr Turner.
Gwyneth Keyworth as DS Janie Mallowan
Who is Janie Mallowan in Death Valley? Janie is a young and eager detective sergeant. At first, she thinks John Chapel is her hero because she loved his acting in the show Caesar. But when she actually meets him, she quickly sees he’s not perfect at all. They argue a lot, but underneath all that fighting, they really respect and care about each other.
Gwyneth Keyworth, who plays Janie, says, “Janie likes to follow rules and do things by the book. John, on the other hand, trusts his feelings and gut instinct to solve problems. Janie tries not to get emotional and just sticks to facts. But she learns that only focusing on facts sometimes stops her from solving cases. John helps her think in new and creative ways.
He also helps her understand why she behaves the way she does, not just at work but in her whole life.”
What else has Gwyneth Keyworth been in? You might have seen Gwyneth Keyworth in shows like Doctor Thorne, Craith / Hidden, Defending the Guilty, and the comedy-drama The Trouble with Maggie Cole with Dawn French. More recently, she appeared in the teen spy series Alex Rider and the emotional adoption drama Lost Boys and Fairies.
Steffan Rhodri as DCI Barry Clarke
Who is DCI Clarke in Death Valley? DCI Clarke is Janie’s boss at the local police station. He’s a bit clumsy and often messes up by saying the wrong things or ending up in awkward moments. But even though he’s a bit of a goof, he really wants to do a good job and means well.
What else has Steffan Rhodri been in? You might know Steffan Rhodri best as Dave Coaches from the super popular BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey. He even came back for its very last episode. Besides that, he’s been in shows like the history drama The Last Kingdom, the fantasy hit House of the Dragon, the true crime series Steeltown Murders, and the recent Welsh drama The Way.
Alexandria Riley as Baxter
Who is Baxter in Death Valley? Baxter works with Janie at the police station and is the expert in crime scene forensics, basically, she looks at all the clues and evidence from crime scenes. She and Janie get along well and often joke around with each other to make their tough job a little less stressful.
What else has Alexandria Riley been in? You might have seen Alexandria Riley in some cool shows like the popular sci-fi series Silo on Apple TV+, the Netflix hit Baby Reindeer, and BBC dramas like Men Up and The Outlaws.
Rithvik Andugula as DC Evan Chaudhry
Who is DC Evan Chaudhry? Evan Chaudhry is one of Janie’s good friends and fellow cops at the local police station. He’s always ready to help out with her investigations and is a solid teammate.
What else has Rithvik Andugula been in? Rithvik is pretty new to acting but has already appeared in the Disney Plus comedy Extraordinary and in the streaming movie O’Dessa, which stars Sadie Sink, who you might know from Stranger Things.
Melanie Walters as Yvonne
Who is Yvonne in Death Valley? Yvonne is Janie’s mom. She really cares about Janie and wants the best for her, even if she sometimes shows it in ways that annoy Janie a bit, you know, like moms do.
What else has Melanie Walters been in? Melanie Walters is well-known for acting alongside Steffan Rhodri in Gavin & Stacey, where she played Gwen, Stacey’s mom. She’s also appeared in the popular daytime show Father Brown and the kids’ program Biff & Chip.
Death Valley confirmed guest stars
Just like other popular mystery shows such as Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders, Death Valley will bring in lots of guest stars to appear in different cases each week.
Some well-known actors joining the show include Vicki Pepperdine from Bad Education, Kiell Smith-Bynoe from Ghosts, Sian Gibson who’s been in Car Share and The Power of Parker, Patricia Hodge from All Creatures Great and Small, and Jim Howick from Here We Go.
We don’t yet know exactly who each guest will play, or if any of them might actually be the bad guy in their story. Want to find out? Just watch Death Valley on Sunday nights and see what happens!
