Prepare for a gripping and emotionally devastating journey as Playing Nice delves into every parent’s worst nightmare. Based on the bestselling novel by J.P. Delaney, this limited series follows two couples—Pete Riley (James Norton) and Maddie Wilson (Niamh Algar), and Miles (James McArdle) and Lucy Lambert (Jessica Brown Findlay)—whose lives are shattered when a single phone call reveals their two-year-old sons were switched at birth. What begins as an unthinkable shock spirals into a gut-wrenching moral and legal quagmire: Do they keep the children they have loved and raised since infancy, or reclaim their biological sons?

As both families navigate a labyrinth of guilt, grief, and fierce parental love, dark secrets and hidden agendas begin to surface. The Lamberts, wealthy and seemingly perfect, may not be all they appear, while Pete and Maddie’s working-class stability is tested to its breaking point. Playing Nice masterfully explores the complexities of nature versus nurture, the primal instinct to protect one’s child, and the terrifying question: What truly makes a parent? This is not just a story about a mistake—it’s a psychological thriller about the lengths people will go to for their families.

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Meet the Cast of Playing Nice

1. James Norton as Pete Riley

James Norton delivers a career-defining performance as Pete Riley, a stay-at-home dad and children’s book illustrator whose world collapses with the revelation that his son, Theo, is not his biological child. Norton portrays Pete’s vulnerability and escalating desperation with raw intensity, capturing a man grappling with a loss of identity and a ferocious need to protect the only son he has ever known. His journey from a gentle, easygoing father to a determined, albeit terrified, warrior for his family is the emotional anchor of the series.

Norton’s ability to convey profound emotion with subtlety shines, particularly in silent moments of anguish as he watches Theo sleep, fearing he might lose him. His chemistry with Niamh Algar is electric, portraying a couple whose relationship is strained to its absolute limit by external forces and internal doubts. Norton ensures Pete remains empathetic even as he makes increasingly questionable choices.

2. Niamh Algar as Maddie Wilson

Niamh Algar is phenomenal as Maddie Wilson, a pragmatic and resilient mother whose maternal instincts are thrown into a brutal conflict. Algar masterfully depicts Maddie’s struggle between her love for the son she raised and the powerful, unfamiliar pull of her biological child. Her performance is a powerhouse of restrained emotion and fierce intelligence, as she becomes the family’s strategist in a terrifying legal battle.

Algar brings a grounded ferocity to the role, especially in scenes where she confronts the Lamberts’ manipulative tactics. Her character’s journey is one of reclaiming agency, and Algar makes every small victory and devastating setback feel deeply personal. She embodies the series’ core dilemma: can a mother’s heart truly be divided?

3. James McArdle as Miles Lambert

James McArdle is chillingly charismatic as Miles Lambert, the wealthy, controlling patriarch of the other family. McArdle crafts a character of unnerving charm and hidden menace, making Miles a formidable antagonist whose friendly facade masks a calculating and ruthless nature. His performance keeps the audience constantly guessing about his true motives—is he driven by grief, greed, or a toxic desire to win at all costs?

McArdle’s scenes with Norton are tense masterclasses in psychological warfare, as Miles uses his financial and social advantage to manipulate the situation. He portrays a man for whom fatherhood is intertwined with ownership and legacy, creating a villain who is both detestable and strangely pitiable.

4. Jessica Brown Findlay as Lucy Lambert

Jessica Brown Findlay is hauntingly fragile yet sharp as Lucy Lambert, Miles’s wife, who seems trapped in a gilded cage. Brown Findlay delivers a nuanced performance of a woman suffering from severe postpartum depression, whose connection to both children is fraught with guilt, distance, and a deep, unspoken sadness. She is the series’ most tragic figure, a ghost in her own life.

Her character’s quiet unraveling and moments of startling clarity provide some of the show’s most shocking revelations. Brown Findlay portrays Lucy’s complex relationship with her husband—a mix of dependence, fear, and dawning rebellion—with devastating subtlety.

The Children & Supporting Cast

• Alban Guo and Fraser Cornelissen are heart-wrenching as Theo Riley and David Lambert, the two toddlers at the center of the storm. Their innocent presence in every scene heightens the emotional stakes tremendously.

• Sunetra Sarker is compelling as Anika Chowdhury, the families’ shrewd and ethically conflicted lawyer, who must guide them through an unprecedented legal case.

• Alisha Bailey brings authority and empathy as DS Ridley, a detective who begins investigating how the switch could have happened, uncovering darker secrets within the hospital’s walls.

• Theo Ogundipe and Sarah Edwardson provide crucial support as friends whose loyalties are tested, while Posy Sterling terrifies as a toxic internet troll who fuels public controversy around the case.

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Why Playing Nice Is a Must-Watch

• A morally complex narrative that offers no easy answers, leaving viewers passionately debating what they would do.

• Unforgettable performances from a powerhouse cast, led by James Norton and Niamh Algar at their very best.

• A tense, psychological plot that twists and turns, revealing that the biggest threat may not be the switch itself, but the secrets it uncovers.

• Elegant, atmospheric direction that contrasts the cozy warmth of Pete and Maddie’s home with the cold, minimalist oppression of the Lambert mansion.

Prepare for the Dilemma

Playing Nice is a four-part limited series premiering August 26, 2025, exclusively on BritBox. This is one psychological thriller that will leave you holding your loved ones a little tighter.