'Hope Street' Season 4 Introduces New Lead Characters

Most of the time, the BBC and ITV make producing a hit police procedural look easy. Cast a few handsome white men as emotionally troubled mid-level cops, and then force them to confront whatever version of the world you subscribe to, whether it's the AC-12 in Line of Duty, the cold case team on Unforgotten, or a laundry list of priests who all turn out to be really into solving crimes with a World War II vet in Grantchester. But sometimes, the series doesn't quite work due to casting chemistry, writers, or focus. In those cases, where American TV would cancel it after two episodes, the BBC just keeps overhauling every season until they find a working formula. 

Such is the case with Hope Street, now going into Season 4 with its fourth casting lineup. While there are some returnees, as the local characters in town gelled over the first few seasons and viewers tuned into their soap opera lives, the ostensible lead characters — DC Leila Hussain (Amara Karan), DC Al Quinn (Stephen Hagan), and DI Finn O'Hare (Ciarán McMenamin) — haven't managed to last. Karan left after one season, Hagan was reduced to guest star after his debut in Season 2, and McMenamin, who finally took the show's full focus in Season 3 after playing co-lead in Seasons 1 and 2 to Karan and Hagan, exited in the season finale.

The BBC announced Season 4 would once again bring on a new lead actor to take over the police squad, casting Tara Lynne O'Neill (Derry Girls) as DI Eve Dunlop. However, she turned out to be just one of many new faces arriving in Season 4 as the show does a soft reboot of the series.

The police precinct lost its Detective Chief Inspector at the end of Season 3, but it was already short a Detective Constable since Quinn was reduced to a guest slot after Season 2. To that end, Hope Street will also be gaining DC Luke Jackson, played by Marcus Onilude (Ted Lasso). 

Other new cast members naturally include the addition of Eve's family, with Jonny Grogan (Secret Life of Boys) as Eve's son, Ross; small screen newcomer as RhéAna Kamalu as Eve's stepdaughter, Chloe; and Eleanor Methven (Becoming Jane) as her mother, Lois. Also, Season 4 will introduce Callum's father, Seamie, played by Paddy Jenkins (Blue Lights), and Katie Shortt (Casualty) as the new local barmaid, Brandi McClure.

Here's Season 4's synopsis:

Marlene is shocked to discover that her childhood pal Eve is now her boss. The new colleagues have a complicated friendship but must work together when Siobhan is kidnapped, and corrupt cop Al Quinn is rumored to be back in town. Marlene and Eve put their differences aside to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of their school friend Shelley. Elsewhere, Nicole keeps her pregnancy under wraps, but secrets are hard to keep in Port Devine; Callum’s father makes a surprise appearance, and a tragic death casts a shadow over the community. From a hit-and-run accident to discovering the identity of the father of Nicole’s baby, there are plenty of crimes and mysteries still to be solved.

Hope Street will bring back fan favorites Kerri Quinn as Marlene Pettigrew, Niall Wright as Callum McCarthy, Finnian Garbutt as Ryan Power, Stephen Hagan as Al Quinn, plus Aaron McCusker and Niamh McGrady as Clint and Nicole Devine-Dunwoody. Other returnees who have been introduced over the first three seasons include Des McAleer (Hunger), Rachel Tucker (I'd Do Anything), Karen Hassan (The Fall), Brid Brennan (Peaky Blinders), Ian Beattie (Game of Thrones), and Carrie Crowley (Obituary). 

Susanne Farrell and Paul Marquess created the series, with the latter as lead writer alongside Jessica Lea, Stuart Drennan, Greer Ellison, Karis Kelly, Paul Williams, and Brian McGilloway. Marquess executive produces with Donna Wiffen for Long Story TV and Robert Schildhouse, Stephen Nye, and Jess O'Riordan for BritBox International.

Hope Street Season 4 debuts with eight episodes on iPlayer on Monday, October 28, before airing weekly installment on the BBC starting Friday, November 1. All eight episodes of the first half of Season 4 will arrive on BritBox on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.