Cast of This City Is Ours: Actors, Characters & Season 2

BBC One’s This City Is Ours feels like a throwback to the golden age of British crime drama — Sean Bean anchoring a Liverpool-set saga about family, loyalty, and the drug trade — yet it keeps surprising viewers with its willingness to spotlight Scouse talent over familiar London faces. Season 1 dropped on 23 March 2025, and already the show has been renewed. The cast list stretches well beyond the obvious headliners, so here’s a clear breakdown of who’s who, what the season 2 situation looks like, and where Liverpool fits into the picture.

Lead Actors: Sean Bean, James Nelson-Joyce, Hannah Onslow ·
Network: BBC ·
Filming Location: Liverpool ·
Season 2 Status: Filming wrapped ·
Episodes Planned: 9 episodes

Cast of This City Is Ours season 1

The ensemble brings together established names and rising Liverpool talent. Sean Bean leads the Phelan crime family as Ronnie Phelan, the patriarch attempting one final deal before retirement. (Wikipedia) Around him orbits a web of characters with their own agendas — and their own loyalties.

Sean Bean

Sean Bean plays Ronnie Phelan, the aging crime boss who sees his empire crumbling from within. Bean, known for Game of Thrones and Sharpe, brings his signature intensity to the role of a man caught between ambition and the limits of age. (Wikipedia)

James Nelson-Joyce as Michael Kavanagh

James Nelson-Joyce plays Michael Kavanagh, Ronnie’s right-hand man and the coldly calculating favourite to succeed him. The Liverpool-born actor brings an edge to the character — ruthless in business, navigating an IVF journey with girlfriend Diana, and locked in a rivalry with Jamie Phelan for control of the family business. (Radio Times)

Hannah Onslow as Diana Williams

Hannah Onslow portrays Diana Williams, Michael’s girlfriend and a restaurant manager whose background is darker than it first appears. Her mother Lesley Williams is serving a life sentence for murdering Diana’s father — a secret that shapes Diana’s choices throughout the series. (Wikipedia)

Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan

Jack McMullen plays Jamie Phelan, Ronnie’s own son — and Michael’s rival for the top spot. Where Michael is calculating, Jamie is reckless. He’s married to Melissa Sullivan with a young son Alfie, and his impulsiveness repeatedly puts the family business at risk. (Radio Times)

The supporting cast includes Julie Graham (Elaine Phelan, Ronnie’s wife who prioritizes family), Laura Aikman (Rachel Duffy, the gang’s accountant seeking more influence), Stephen Walters (Davey Crawford, senior gang member), and Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Cheryl Crawford, Davey’s wife). Bobby Schofield plays Peter “Bonehead” Murphy, Jamie’s enforcer. (Wikipedia)

Together, the ensemble delivers the layered family dynamics that series creator Stephen Butchard built around the Phelan succession battle.

Is there going to be a season 2 of This City Is Ours?

Yes — BBC confirmed the renewal in May 2025, weeks after season 1 finished airing. (Wikipedia) Production moved quickly: filming for series two commenced in October 2025 and has since wrapped.

Filming update

Season 2 returned to Liverpool for filming, with the production supported by Liverpool Film Office. The office had already invested in season 1 and hosted a preview event on 23 March 2025 ahead of the premiere. (The Guide Liverpool)

Cast returning

Sean Bean, James Nelson-Joyce, and Jack McMullen are expected to reprise their roles — no formal announcements have listed new additions as of this writing. (Wikipedia)

Cast of This City Is Ours season 2

While official announcements have been sparse, the confirmed pattern from season 1 suggests a core ensemble of 8+ actors continuing into season 2.

Confirmed returning cast

The series is expected to feature Sean Bean (Ronnie Phelan), James Nelson-Joyce (Michael Kavanagh across 9 episodes), Hannah Onslow (Diana Williams), and Jack McMullen (Jamie Phelan) in season 2. (Wikipedia)

New additions

No specific new cast members have been announced at time of writing. The production has not released a formal season 2 cast list beyond confirming the main ensemble will return.

The implication: without fresh announcements, the show is banking on audience investment in existing characters rather than introducing standout new players.

Who is actually Scouse in This City Is Ours?

The production has leaned heavily into Liverpool authenticity — not just as a backdrop, but in casting. Radio Times describes the show as a “Scouse Sopranos” in the making. (Radio Times)

Liverpool-born actors

James Nelson-Joyce is from Liverpool, giving Michael Kavanagh an authenticity that a transplanted accent couldn’t replicate. Jack McMullen, born in Manchester but closely associated with Liverpool productions through his grandfather Ray Winstone connections, also brings regional credibility. (Radio Times)

James Nelson-Joyce interview

At the Liverpool preview event, James Nelson-Joyce discussed working alongside Sean Bean in a drama that showcases the city on its own terms. The event host noted the BBC drama investment came from Liverpool Film Office for drama filmed and set right here in Liverpool. (The Guide Liverpool)

What this means: the casting gamble on local talent over celebrity names positions the show as distinctly regional in a TV landscape dominated by London-set crime dramas.

Where was This City Is Ours filmed?

The series was filmed primarily in Liverpool, with additional shooting in Spain — specifically Marbella, where the Colombian cartel’s representatives are based. Liverpool Film Office invested directly in the production. (The Guide Liverpool)

Primary locations

Filming for season 1 occurred in Liverpool and Spain starting May 2024. (Wikipedia) The Liverpool sequences capture the city in ways that crime dramas rarely bother with — street-level detail, recognizable landmarks, and a sense that the urban geography shapes the story.

Liverpool showcase

The series is set to showcase Liverpool again in BBC drama, with Radio Times noting the show as “BBC’s answer to Gangs of London” — but explicitly relocating the action to Merseyside. (Radio Times)

The catch: maintaining that street-level authenticity across multiple seasons depends on continued Liverpool Film Office backing and location access.

Summary

This City Is Ours has carved a distinct space in BBC’s crime drama lineup — not by inventing something new, but by relocating a familiar formula to Liverpool and filling it with actors who feel rooted in that geography. Sean Bean’s presence guarantees a certain audience, but the series succeeds or fails on whether James Nelson-Joyce and Jack McMullen can carry the next generation narrative. For viewers in Liverpool and beyond, the renewal means the Phelan family’s story continues — and the city’s role as a character, not just a backdrop, looks set to deepen.