Twelve years after their fractured engagement, detectives DI Ffion Lloyd (Elen Rhys) and DS Rick Sheldon (Richard Harrington) are thrust back together in The One That Got Away, a gripping Welsh crime drama. When the murder of a student nurse in a sleepy coastal town eerily mirrors an unsolved double homicide that first united them, old wounds and unresolved tensions resurface. As they navigate a web of secrets, the duo must confront their shared past while untangling a case that blurs the lines between professional duty and personal reckoning. With moody coastal landscapes and a haunting score, the series explores loyalty, betrayal, and the ghosts that refuse to stay buried.
Boasting a powerhouse Welsh cast, the show delves into the intricate dynamics of its characters, from family ties to institutional rivalries. As Ffion and Rick dig deeper, they uncover connections to local figures, including a reclusive businessman (Ian Puleston-Davies) and a grieving mother (Eiry Thomas), each harboring motives. With its slow-burn tension and richly drawn characters, The One That Got Away promises a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, perfect for fans of Broadchurch and Hinterland.
The One That Got Away cast
1. Elen Rhys as DI Ffion Lloyd
Elen Rhys, celebrated for her roles in Keeping Faith and Hidden, brings steely vulnerability to DI Ffion Lloyd, a detective haunted by her professional and personal failures. Known for her work in Welsh noir, Rhys excels at portraying layered women grappling with moral ambiguity. Her performance as Ffion—a woman torn between duty to her community and the shadows of her past—anchors the series’ emotional core.
Ffion’s reunion with Rick forces her to confront the engagement she abandoned and the career sacrifices she’s made. Rhys’s chemistry with Richard Harrington crackles with unresolved tension, blending professional respect with lingering heartache. Off-screen, Rhys advocates for Welsh-language programming, infusing authenticity into her portrayal of a detective deeply rooted in her hometown’s fabric.
2. Richard Harrington as DS Rick Sheldon
Richard Harrington, a stalwart of British drama (Hinterland, Poldark), embodies DS Rick Sheldon, a detective whose calm exterior masks simmering regrets. Harrington’s knack for understated intensity shines as Rick, now a family man, struggles to balance his marriage to Helen (Rhian Blythe) with the resurgence of feelings for Ffion.
Harrington’s Rick is a study in quiet desperation, his investigative rigor clashing with emotional fragility. The actor’s real-life Welsh heritage informs his grounded performance, particularly in scenes highlighting the town’s tight-knit, claustrophobic dynamics. Harrington has called the role “a reckoning with the roads not taken.”
3. Rhian Blythe as Helen Sheldon
Rhian Blythe, known for Stella and Bang, plays Helen Sheldon, Rick’s wife, whose stability is tested by her husband’s past. Blythe’s background in Welsh comedy-dramas lends warmth to Helen, a nurse grappling with her husband’s emotional distance as the case unfolds.
Helen’s suspicion of Rick’s rekindled partnership with Ffion adds domestic tension. Blythe’s nuanced performance reveals a woman torn between trust and self-preservation, offering a poignant counterpoint to the central mystery.
4. Ioan Hefin as DCI Alan Vaughan
Veteran actor Ioan Hefin (35 Diwrnod) commands the screen as DCI Alan Vaughan, Ffion and Rick’s brusque superior. Hefin’s portrayal of Vaughan—a pragmatist obsessed with closing the case—adds bureaucratic pressure, complicating the duo’s already fraught collaboration.
Hefin’s gruff demeanor and piercing gaze underscore Vaughan’s no-nonsense approach, hinting at a hidden agenda. His character’s clashes with Ffion over investigative ethics mirror real-world policing dilemmas, grounding the drama in realism.
5. Aled Pugh as DS Celyn Howells
Aled Pugh (Bang, The Light in the Hall) brings dry wit to DS Celyn Howells, Ffion’s loyal but wary colleague. Pugh’s background in theater enriches Celyn’s role as the team’s moral compass, often mediating between Ffion’s impulsiveness and Vaughan’s rigidity.
Celyn’s local knowledge and unassuming charm make him a fan favorite, though his loyalty is tested as the investigation darkens. Pugh’s performance subtly hints at a deeper connection to the town’s history, suggesting hidden layers to his character.
6. Mali Ann Rees as DC Mog Morgan
Rising star Mali Ann Rees (Penance) shines as DC Mog Morgan, an eager junior detective whose idealism contrasts with the team’s cynicism. Rees’s fresh-faced energy injects urgency into the investigation, as Mog’s tech-savvy skills uncover critical digital evidence.
Mog’s admiration for Ffion and friction with Rick highlight generational divides in policing. Off-screen, Rees’s fluency in Welsh enhances her authentic portrayal of a young officer navigating her first major case.
7. Ian Puleston-Davies as Paul Harvey
Ian Puleston-Davies (Coronation Street, Tin Star) delivers a chilling turn as Paul Harvey, a reclusive businessman tied to both murders. Known for playing morally ambiguous figures, Puleston-Davies imbues Harvey with a veneer of respectability masking ruthless secrets.
Harvey’s connections to the victims’ families and Anna Harvey (Eiry Thomas) suggest a web of corruption. Puleston-Davies’s knack for simmering menace makes him a standout antagonist, blurring the line between ally and suspect.
8. Hannah Daniel as Lisa Redwood
Hannah Daniel (Hinterland, The Left Behind) portrays Lisa Redwood, a tenacious journalist whose investigation parallels the police’s. Daniel’s sharp wit and commanding presence make Lisa a formidable foil to Ffion, as her probing articles threaten to derail the case.
Lisa’s motives blur personal and professional, with Daniel hinting at a vendetta tied to the town’s history. Her scenes with Harrington crackle with mutual distrust, adding media intrigue to the procedural.
9. Eiry Thomas as Anna Harvey
Eiry Thomas (Pobol y Cwm) brings gravitas to Anna Harvey, a grieving mother whose daughter’s death links to the cold case. Thomas’s haunting performance captures a woman oscillating between despair and fury, her quiet strength challenging the detectives’ assumptions.
Anna’s interactions with Paul Harvey (Ian Puleston-Davies) and Delyth Lloyd (Sharon Morgan) reveal a community bound by loss and silence. Thomas’s decades of stage work inform her restrained yet powerful portrayal.
10. William Thomas as Griff Lloyd
William Thomas (Twin Town, Doctor Who) plays Griff Lloyd, Ffion’s ailing father, whose declining health mirrors the town’s decay. Thomas’s gruff warmth adds depth to Griff, a former fisherman whose stories hint at the area’s dark underbelly.
Griff’s strained relationship with Ffion underscores themes of legacy and regret. Thomas’s real-life status as a Welsh acting legend lends authenticity to his role as the emotional anchor of the Lloyd family.
11. Sharon Morgan as Delyth Lloyd
Sharon Morgan (Gavin & Stacey, The Pembrokeshire Murders) portrays Delyth Lloyd, Ffion’s sharp-tongued mother. Morgan’s blend of humor and steeliness illuminates Delyth’s complex bond with her daughter, as she battles guilt over Ffion’s fractured personal life.
Delyth’s scenes with Griff (William Thomas) and Ffion reveal a family grappling with unspoken traumas. Morgan’s nuanced performance elevates Delyth beyond the stereotypical “detective’s mother,” offering a portrait of resilience.
12. Matthew Aubrey as Mel Owen
Matthew Aubrey (Stella, Casualty) rounds out the cast as Mel Owen, a charming bartender with ties to both victims. Aubrey’s natural charisma masks Mel’s potential as a suspect, keeping viewers guessing about his true role in the mystery.
Mel’s flirtations with Mog (Mali Ann Rees) and cryptic advice to Ffion add layers to his character. Aubrey’s background in comedy-drama ensures Mel remains an enigmatic wildcard.
