Genre: Comedy drama; Crime
Created by Joe Gilgun, Danny Brocklehurst
Directed by Jon Wright; Daniel O’Hara; Saul Metzstein
Written by Danny Brocklehurst, Alex Ganley
Starring: Joe Gilgun, Michelle Keegan, Steve Evets, Ryan Oliver Sampson, Aaron Heffernan, Parth Thakerar, Tom Hanson, Bronagh Gallagher, Joanna Higson, Jude Riordan & Dominic West.
Composer: Christoph Bauschinger
Executive producers: David Livingstone, Jon Mountague, Joe Gilgun, Danny Brocklehurst
Producers: Juliet Charlesworth, Mike Noble
Cinematography: Richard Stoddard
Editors: Rachel Hoult, Annie Kocur
Production companies: Calamity Films
Network: Sky Max
Plot: The new series follows on from the chaos of season 4 as Vinnie and his friends are determined to find out just what happened to Dylan (Damien Molony). Of course, in those final season 4 scenes, we saw Dylan being grabbed by a pair of hired thugs and bundled into the back of a car.
Season 5 of Brassic was hit and miss.
Pros: I loved seeing characters like how Vinnie and Erin’s romance gets developed even further. Series 5 still brings the laughs. I enjoyed each episode dealing with different circumstances and the ending does help the next series in an intriguing way.
Cons: A lot of the things involving the full gang won’t remain interesting. Not following with what happened to one of the lads was a missed opportunity and I find series 5 of this show not all that impressive.
Casts & Characters:
Vinnie O’Neil (played by Joseph Gilgun)
Known around Hawley as something of a ne’er-do-well, Vinnie is just trying to make the best of his life after having a rough time of it growing up. His mum left and his alcoholic, safe-blower dad raised him the best he could. Vinnie blew his first safe when he was seven years old and has been surviving ever since, acting as the captain of his group’s ship – leading them through scrape after scrape.
Vinnie constantly battles with his bipolar disorder and finds the rural solitude of his shack in the woods and his firm friendship amongst his friends help him cope with his highs and lows. He has street smartness and is dynamically funny with an eccentric intensity. Vinnie is emotionally intelligent and has a great depth of feeling towards others. Regular visits to his GP, Dr Chris, don’t exactly provide him with the help he is looking for, but his gang of friends are on hand to give him the support he needs and are the bedrock to his existence.
Vinnie is played by co-creator of Brassic Joseph Gilgun, who is known for his previous roles in This is England, Misfits, Preacher and Pride. Much of Brassic is inspired by his own experiences growing up.
Does Vinnie in Brassic have tattoos in real life?
Vinnie’s body art is all legit. Joe Gilgun’s body is a canvas for some extensive tattoos from his forehead to his feet. It’s hard to put a number on how many separate pieces of art are adorning the Leicester actor’s person, but they include a large magpie portrait across his chest along with the latin phrase “ab imo pectore” (“from the bottom of my heart”), the phrase “You’re All In It, So Be Proud” on his right forearm, a knotted scarf on his right leg, and countless others, all with special meaning to the actor.
Joe added to his ink collection in 2022 with a tattoo that wrap around his neck. It’s an impressive piece, but debate rages on social media as to what it actually says… if it says anything at all!
Was Vinnie from Brassic in Emmerdale?
Joe Gilgun did indeed appear in Emmerdale, joining the cast in 2006 as Eli, part of the Dingle clan, and would continue the role for four years before departing in 2010. His role wasn’t a million miles off from his starring turn in Brassic; Eli was a penniless drifter and lovable rogue who would often find himself in trouble, even though deep down there was a thoughtful, sensitive side to him.
Erin Croft (played by Michelle Keegan)
Erin starts off in Brassic as Dylan’s girlfriend. She is fiercely independent, driven and turns heads. A troubled childhood led to a wild child phase in her teenage years which left her alone and pregnant at a young age. But having her child Tyler turned out to be the best mistake she ever made. Determined to give him all the chances she never had, Erin is studying at college so she can get out of town and start a better life. Erin loves Dylan but he struggles to offer her the stability she needs, let alone the kind of future she craves for herself and Tyler. At first Erin longs to escape Hawley, feeling that it’s the only way to secure a better life for Tyler and herself. But as the series progresses, she comes to realise that you don’t need to run away from your friends and the rest of the world to change your life.
Erin is played by Michelle Keegan, who broke onto the scene with a role in Coronation Street lasting six years, and is known for her starring roles in Our Girl and Ten Pound Poms.
Who is Erin with in Brassic?
Erin begins the series in a relationship with Dylan, but they split at the end of series one. She then enters into a relationship with Jake (played by Anthony Welsh), a friend from college, but this too ends after she is attacked by Jake’s brother. Erin and Vinnie have a will-they, won’t-they relationship. Vinnie is the biological father of Erin’s son, Tyler, and the two care for each other immensely, but Vinnie’s past trauma and reluctance to drag Erin and Tyler into his troubled life stop him from pursuing Erin beyond friendship.
Dylan (played by Damian Molony)
Dylan, is Vinnie’s best friend since school. He is book smart and knows how to play a mean game of poker. He begins the series in love with Erin and has a close relationship with her kid, Tyler but his friends mean everything to him. Vinnie is like a brother to Dylan and the one person that truly understands him. Dylan passed up a chance to go to Uni as he didn’t want to abandon his mates and, to Erin’s frustration, he hasn’t ever really grown up. He occasionally works at Kath’s pub but spends most of his time having fun with the lads.
Dylan is played by Irish actor Damian Molony, who has previous credits in The Split, Gameface and Crashing.
Farmer Jim (played by Steve Evets)
Eccentric, foul-mouthed and blunt. Farmer Jim is the local oddball who permits Vinnie and his gang to grow weed in his underground bunker at his farm. Xenophobic and bad-tempered, you’re never sure if Jim actually believes the words that are coming out of his mouth or if he’s just after some attention. At any rate, Jim has come in very handy for a lot of the crew’s capers, even if he’s as much of a curse as a blessing…
Farmer Jim is played by Steve Evets, who has previously starred in Looking for Eric and has had recurring roles in Gentleman Jack and Vera, along with small roles in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Robin Hood (2010).
Who is Jim’s neighbour?
Surely, that would be Shirley Paslowski. Shirley is a Polish farmer who owns the land next to Jim’s, who refers to him as “Goldilocks” due to his long, flowing locks. The two have an acrimonious relationship, with Shirley keen to either sabotage or move in on Jim’s shady dealings.
Tommo (played by Ryan Oliver Sampson)
Tommo is a bit of a loner but very content with his lot in life. He has no family and he is happiest when he is wanking or shagging. Turning his passion into a business, he makes money holding secret S&M nights for rich local businessmen, barristers and brigadiers. Tommo’s take on life is extremely liberal: he does what he wants, when he wants and is the one in the gang who never cares what people think. He is loyal to the boys and they are the only ones that seem to give a shit about him; everyone needs someone, and Tommo needs them more than he lets on. He has something of an antagonistic relationship with Erin, who he believes stole the Rat & Cutter from him.
Tommo is played by Ryan Sampson, who is known for his roles in Plebs, The Frankenstein Chronicles, Doctor Who and Waiting.
What has Ryan Sampson been in?
Ryan’s probably best known for his role as Roman slave Grumio in the hit ITV comedy Plebs. He’s also had one-off roles in Wire in the Blood, Holby City and Doctor Who, and provided the voice of Pieface in the animated series Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed. He’s also written and will star alongside Danny Dyer in the upcoming Sky Original comedy Mr Bigstuff.
Ashley (played by Aaron Heffernan)
Ash grew up on a traveller site on the outskirts of Hawley. He comes from a proud fighting family and, raised by his hard-hearted mother, he can switch to extreme violence in seconds, which makes him handy to have around as the muscle in the gang. While Ashley is openly gay to the lads, he chooses to hide his true sexuality from his family. The boys know his troubles and Ash and Vinnie have boxed together for years. Ash finds solace in having mates who accept him completely and it is with the lads that he feels most like himself.
Ashley is played by Irish actor Aaron Heffernan, and has had previous roles in War of the Worlds, Atlanta and Love.Hate.
Who is Ashley’s dad in Brassic?
Ashley’s mam always told Ashly his father was the same as his brothers, but he knows that’s clearly not true as he’s the only mixed-race member of his white family. After an arduous search, it’s revealed his father is Tyrone Carver – a fairground worker who broke his mother’s heart when he ran off with (spoiler alert) Vinnie’s mum.
JJ (Played by Parth Thakerar)
JJ is from a small Asian family. His older brothers went into medicine and law, but JJ takes after his father who is the black sheep in the family. After a failed attempt at college, going to purely impress his mother, JJ set up his own motor workshop in Hawley. To keep the more legitimate side of his business afloat, he relies on Vinnie to bring him dubiously acquired cars. He chops them up and sells them on for parts and spares. JJ is hardly averse to a bit of dodgy dealing and his place in the gang is cemented as the fixer and technician of the group. If the gang need a vehicle, JJ can offer a solution however unconventional it might be.
JJ is played by Parth Thakerar, who has previously appeared in Gangs of London, Vigil and Great Expectations (2023).
Amy Croft (played by Darci Shaw)
Amy Croft is a young woman who turns up in Hawley unannounced and claims to be Erin’s half-sister. There’s not much reason to doubt her; the evidence is there, they look similar and, according to Tommo, Erin’s dad “was a right vaj hound.” Reeling from the bombshell, Erin welcomes in Amy with open arms. But is she everything she claims to be?
Is Amy really Erin’s sister?
Tragically not. Despite seeming to be the little sister Erin had always yearned for, it turns out to be a case of mistaken identity. It’s a turn of events neither Erin nor Amy wanted to be true – hence Amy’s reluctance to reveal this once she found out. While the news is devastating to Erin, and she is angry that Amy had not told her, she forgives her and tells her that while she might not have family in Hawley, she’ll always have friends.
Cardi (played by Tom Hanson)
Cardi is a bit of a sweetheart. He just sees the good in everyone. He is from a big estate family and when his parents kicked him out, he just moved into a flat above the Kebab shop: heaven. Cardi does struggle with confidence and has been bullied about his weight and stutter. In fact, Cardi met the lads through Ash who stepped in to stop Cardi from being beaten up by a bunch of taunting teenagers. His role in the gang is that of a runner: fetching gear, dropping things off. Small things that he can’t mess up. He feels most at home in the Kebab shop where he is something of a local hero and celebrated winner of every Kebab eating contest. Cardi’s other love is for his pet pigeon named Nigel, who means everything to him.
Cardi is played by Tom Hanson, who has also appeared in The Outlaws, The Tunnel and Silent Witness.
Why is Cardi called that in Brassic?
While his real name is actually Lesley Titt, the guys affectionately call him Cardi, short for Cardiac Arrest, due to his mounting body weight and unhealthy lifestyle.
Who is Cardi’s wife in Brassic?
Cardi finds love in the form of Ashley’s half-sister Carol (played by Bronagh Gallagher). They bond over their love of animals and hit it off, later getting married in the season two finale (having stolen the wedding, of course).
Davey MacDonagh (played by Neil Ashton)
Davey MacDonagh and his brother arrive on the block in series four of Brassic, and quickly become a thorn in the gang’s side. He’s a dangerous sociopath and a career criminal, looking to move in on Vinnie’s turf. He fills in the power vacuum after local criminal kingpin Terence McCann is arrested, and with his silent, but intimidating brother Barry at his side, he’s the one to watch out for.
Davey is played by Neil Ashton, whose past credits include It’s a Sin, Professor T and Bancroft.
Dr Chris Cox (played by Dominic West)
Dr Coxley is Vinnie’s GP and close friend. While Vinnie visits him for help managing his bi-polar and depression, Dr Chris is pretty useless in that regard. Instead, he’s more interested in buying weed from him, getting high and discussing his strange obsession with other people’s knees. While actual, constructive advice from him is highly seldom, just having him there to talk to is a big help to Vinnie. And he supports him right back.
Dr Chris Cox is played by the one and only Dominic West, who fans of gripping drama will immediately recognise as Detective Jimmy McNulty from the seminal 2000s cop series The Wire. Dominic has also had credits in 300, the Tomb Raider reboot, and played Prince Charles in Netflix’s The Crown.
Carol Dennings (played by Bronagh Gallagher)
Carol is Ash’s half-sister who takes a quite a liking to Cardi – bonding over their shared love of animals. Growing up with a lot of brothers, Carol relishes having a partner that she can throw around. Underneath it all she’s got a good heart and is a lot of fun to be around but is definitely not one to cross. Carol has a saucy side to her past that she’d rather keep secret, but in Brassic these things never stay hidden for long…
Carol is played by Irish actress and singer Bronagh Gallagher, who has also appeared in Pramface, The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby and The Commitments, and can even put brief appearances in Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace and Pulp Fiction on her CV.
Is Carol from Brassic in Pulp Fiction?
Yes! Bronagh Gallagher has a blink-and-you’ll miss it role as Trudi. Remember that scene where Uma Thurman’s Mia Wallace overdoses and has to be revived by Eric Stoltz and John Travolta? Trudi is the one smoking a bong and casually observing the chaos.
Gary Cullen, The Undertaker (played by Tadhg Murphy)
Far be it for us to stereotype undertakers as creepy, but Gary does nothing to dissuade this. Extremely bad tempered, owner of an artificial eye and a keen collector of unique body parts from the corpses that enter his services, he also happens to be the secret partner of Stephen McCann – local crime lord Terence McCann’s son. Gary is later seen in a fund raiser for the local community centre selling burgers made of “suspiciously cheap meat”.
Gary is played by Tadgh Murphy – an Irish actor best known for his appearances in The Northman, Black Sails and Vikings. And yes, the artificial eye is 100% real.
Gideon (played by Ed Gaughan)
Gideon, or “Gilly”, is a sweet, middle-aged man “who sounds like Orville” and a good friend of Vinnie’s. Gideon cares for his ailing mother in their somewhat creepy home, and Vinnie helps him out on a couple of occasions. First, stealing a fountain to put in his garden, and then, when she finally passes, helping him organise her funeral… which by her request is a burial at sea.
Gilly is played by Ed Gaughan, best known for his leading role in the BAFTA-nominated film Skeletons, and providing the voice of Baron Greenback in the Danger Mouse reboot.
Babs (played by Mali Harries)
Babs is, to put it mildly, a nightmare. She’s Vinnie’s mate Ringo’s wife, then ex-wife, then fiancée. She’s Welsh, temperamental, terrifying and as Vinnie puts it “a sexual Tyrannosaur.” She shows up at Vinnie’s shack on the eve of her re-wedding to Ringo looking for one last fling and talks him into finding her a final extra-marital bang.
Babs is played by Welsh actress Mali Harries, and is best known for her leading role in the Welsh crime series Hinterland.
Ronnie Croft (played by Carl Rice)
Ronnie is Erin’s not-so-bright criminal brother. He’s a constant problem for Erin, and not above stealing from her. Unfortunately, he’s the only family she has and she still has to look out for him.
Ronnie is played by Liverpudlian actor Carl Rice, who has previously appeared in Trollied, Deep Water, and if we go back far enough, Children’s Ward.
Tyler Croft (played by Jude Riordan)
Tyler is Erin’s son and referred to by her as “not exactly planned, but the best mistake.” Erin wants nothing but the best for him, which initially involves taking him away from Horley. However, as he develops a relationship with Vinnie, it becomes clear they’re inseparable.
Tyler is played by Jude Riordan, who has played Sam Blakeman on Coronation Street since 2020 – it’s a role that won him a National Television Award in 2021 for Best Newcomer, making him the youngest actor to win the award at the ripe old age of ten years old.
How old is Tyler in Brassic?
Tyler is eight years old in the first series of Brassic and will be twelve in the upcoming fifth series.
Who is Tyler’s dad?
Tyler was born as a result of a drunken one-night stand between Erin and Vinnie, and the identity of his father is kept from him for a long time. He initially sees Dylan as a father figure, but when his relationship with Erin ends and he finds out Vinnie is his biological father, he develops a close bond with him.
Sugar (played by Joanna Higson)
Sugar is Erin’s best friend who later gets enrolled as a key member of the Brassic gang and a regular in their shenanigans. She works at the Rat & Cutter, Hawley’s local dodgy strip club, initially as a stripper but later as one of its managers, alongside Erin. Sugar has grown up as something of a survivor, without the support you’d usual get from family, so it’s something of a surprise when she and JJ hook up, with us finding out at the end of series four that she’s expecting his baby.
Sugar is played by Joanna Higson, best known for her role as Maxine in Shameless.
Who plays Sugar’s mum?
Juliet Cowan plays Liz Jones, aka Sugar’s Mum. She’s perhaps best known for a recurring role in the CBBC sci-fi series The Sarah Jane Adventures.
What has Sugar been in?
Joanna Higson’s past credits include appearances in Doctors, Holby City and a recurring role in Danny Brocklehurst’s previous series, Shameless, as Maxine Donnelly.
Chinese Dan (played by Steve Garti)
Not actually Chinese, (we don’t know why he’s called that), Chinese Dan is an “honest businessman” who buys stolen goods off Vinnie. He’s also the owner of retired racing greyhound “Arson Fire”, a failed investment as far as he was concerned, but the gang hatch a plan to get the dog winning again when he’s given to Cardi.
Chinese Dan is played by Steve Garti, who recently appeared in the BAFTA-winning TV movie Help along with Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer.
Ringo (played by Tom Bennett)
Ringo is an old friend of Vinnie’s and plays in (crap) local band Tonguesten. He has an on-again off-again relationship with Babs, in that they were married, divorced (over a fabled “prawn cocktail incident”), and in the series four opener are set to remarry again. He’s a brave man, and nothing if not forgiving.
Ringo is played by Tom Bennett, who is known for his roles in PhoneShop, David Brent: Life on the Road and After Life.
Jake (played by Anthony Welsh)
Jake is a college friend, and, later, boyfriend of Erin in the first two seasons of Brassic. In contrast to Dylan, who she was seeing at the time. Jake is dependable, stable and law abiding – a safe pair of hands.
Jake is played by Anthony Welsh, who recently had a starring role in Paramount+’s The Flatshare, and has also had roles in The Great, Starred Up and The Gallows Pole.
Does Erin get with Jake?
When Erin and Dylan got their separate ways, Jake and Erin do get together. However, this ends with disaster when Jake’s brother Aaron makes a move on her and assaults her.
Mr Bates (played by Jeff Rawle)
Mr Bates is Vinnie, Dylan and Carl Slater’s former history teacher, and now a member of a local history group – or so it seems. Actually, the group is a front for the oldest, beigest set of thieves in Hawley. At school Bates would admonish students (usually for making fun of his name) by making them apologise to “Humphrey”, a trainer with a face drawn on it. Bates bursts back into Vinnie’s life when they attempt to out-thieve each other over set of erotic drawers.
Mr Bates is played by Jeff Rawle, whose five-decade long career has seen him take on roles in Billy Liar (as the title character), Drop the Dead Donkey, You, Me and Them, Hollyoaks and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Fiona Frank (played by Camille Cottin)
In season five of Brassic, Vinnie finally gets referred by Dr Chris to a therapist – Fiona Frank. It’s been a long time coming, waiting lists being what they are, and now that the moment is here, the prospect of digging into the deep, dark world of Vinnie’s mind is a daunting prospect. It’s a journey that brings him face to face with some of his deepest triggers, but Dr Frank is there to guide Vinnie through the ordeal.
Fiona Frank is played by French actress and comedian Camille Cottin, known for her role in the French drama series Call my Agent!, and for parts in Killing Eve, Stillwater and House of Gucci.
Meena (played by Bhavna Limbachia)
Meena first appears in series four as “Bridezilla” – someone JJ reckons they can shift a stolen shrub of stolen roses to for her wedding. The roses aren’t to her taste, and she’s got good claim to being the scariest person in Hawley.
We next meet Meena in series five, when the guys need Gary the Undertaker’s help with a cadaver conundrum, only to find Meena working at Abracadabra instead. It turns out the marriage didn’t work out (shocker) and she’s now trying make a go of forgeing her own path. Before long she’s regularly involved in their latest scams, and did we just notice some simmering tension with Tommo?
Meena is played by Bhavna Limbachia, who you might recognise from her three-year stint as Rana Habeeb in Coronation Street, and as youngest daughter Alia in the BBC sitcom Citizen Khan.
Donna McDonagh (played by Samantha Power)
Fresh out of prison in series five and with an axe to grind, Donna McDonagh is the sister of the McDonagh brothers that have been plaguing Vinnie and the gang for years. Just as unpredictable dangerous and sociopathic as her brothers, she’s someone the gang have no choice but to do business with.
Donna is played by Samantha Power, best known for her role as Somone Booth in the school-based drama series Ackley Bridge.
Curtis Plum (played by Dean Lennox Kelly)
When Jim discovers his attic is home to a swarm of rats, he’s forced to call in the local vermin exterminator, a former anarchist DJ turned ratcatcher named Curtis Plum. Back in the heady nineties, Curtis was a big deal in the Acid House scene. One of his biggest fans was Carol, who in a regrettable move, sent him some fan mail including a valuable ring that had been passed down through her family. As luck would have it, Curtis is a hoarder and hasn’t thrown anything out… well, ever. Offering to help the struggling Curtis clear through his hoard, the gang set to work trying to find Carol’s ring. But they also find a whole bunch of other stuff that needs addressing…
Curtis is played by Shameless alum Dean Lennox Kelly, who has also previously starred in the Netflix series Shadow and Bone and the Sky Original drama Jamestown.
Phil Brilliance (played by Dan Skinner)
I recommend watching this series on your sky box.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident TV reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe