ITV Code of Silence cast: Everything you need to know about the stars of the new drama

Former EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis takes centre stage in ITV's newest drama, Code of Silence, set to premiere on Sunday evening (18th May). In this gripping series, Rose steps into the shoes of Alison Brooks, a deaf civilian who finds herself entangled in an intense police investigation.

The riveting storyline follows Alison, who works at both the canteen at Canterbury police station and a local cafe, as she grapples with financial difficulties. Her life takes an unexpected twist when detectives enlist her help in a major criminal case.

Alison keeps tabs on a gang of criminals, utilising her extraordinary lip-reading abilities to collect vital information. The character's deafness is integral to the narrative, offering audiences a genuine portrayal of her interactions with others.

The series is the brainchild of Catherine Moulton, creator of The Stolen Girl, who incorporated her personal experiences with lip-reading and hearing loss into the plot. The lead director is Diarmuid Goggins, known for his work on The Night Caller, Kin, and Witness No.

3. Here's a closer look at the leading stars of Code of Silence, reports .

Alison Brooks

Rose Ayling-Ellis, best recognised for her role as Frankie Lewis, Mick Carter's daughter, on EastEnders, leads the cast as Alison Brooks. She was part of the BBC soap from 2020 to 2022.

In 2021, she clinched victory in the 19th series of Strictly Come Dancing alongside Giovanni Pernice, making history as the first deaf contestant to win the show. The 30 year old Kent native has been deaf since birth and communicates using British Sign Language.

Rose was shortlisted for a Laurence Olivier Award for her supporting role in William Shakespeare's As You Like It. She also featured in the four-part series Reunion as Miri Mokhtar and made appearances in Doctor Who, Ludwig, and Summer of Rockets.

Liam Bayne

Joining Rose is Kieron Moore, who portrays suspect Liam Bayne. The 28 year old Mancunian is relatively fresh to the acting scene, with his first significant TV role listed on IMDB as Emmerdale in 2019, where he appeared as Nav for one episode.

Kieron subsequently starred as Dylan for two episodes of the Netflix series Sex Education in 2021. He has since portrayed Dimitri Belikov in Vampire Academy and Cliff Starkey in Steven Spielberg's Apple TV+ series Masters of the Air.

DS Ashleigh Francis

Actress Charlotte Ritchie makes a return to prime time television as she takes on the role of DS Ashleigh Francis in Code of Silence.

The 35 year old Londoner is best known for her portrayal of Nurse Barbara in Call the Midwife from 2015 to 2018. In the BBC period drama, Barbara was rushed to hospital after being diagnosed with blood poisoning from meningitis, leading to her tragic death.

Since leaving the show, Charlotte has featured in several popular dramas including Doctor Who, where she played Lin, as well as Iris Shepherd in Death in Paradise, and Matilda in Drifters.

Charlotte is also recognised for her recent role as Bonnie Evans in the ITV series Grantchester and Alison Cooper in Ghosts. She played Alison in Dead Pixels until 2021, and in 2020, she portrayed George in Feel Good and DS Irene Ross in McDonald and Dodds.

In 2023, she starred in the hit film Wonka as Barbara.

DI James Marsh

Andrew Buchan completes the main cast of Code of Silence. The 46 year old from Stockport is known for his roles as Wallace Webb in Netflix's Black Doves and Andrew Parker Bowles in The Crown.

He gained fame for his portrayal of Mark Latimer in Broadchurch between 2013 and 2017, alongside David Tennant and Olivia Colman, among a host of other shows including Garrow's Law, Cranford, The Fixer.

Over time, he has also featured in political dramas such as Party Animals and Industry.

Full cast list of Code of Silence

• Rose Ayling-Ellis - Alison Woods
• Kieron Moore - Liam Bayne
• Charlotte Ritchie - DS Ashleigh Francis
• Andrew Buchan - DI James Marsh
• Nathan Armarkwei Laryea - DC Ben Lawford
• Joe Absolom - Braden Moore
• Beth Goddard - Helen Redman
• Andrew Scarborough - Joseph Holhurst
• Fifi Garfield - Julie Woods

The first episode of Code of Silence will premiere at 9pm on ITV1, and ITVX and STV Player on Sunday, May 18. The following five will then air on a weekly basis through to mid-June.