Dodger cast of new BBC drama starring Christopher Eccleston

Christopher Eccleston stars in a new drama BBC drama Dodger – who else is on the cast?

The A Word actor takes the role of Fagin in Dodger in the new ten-part family adventure.

A funny, optimistic, fast-paced comedy drama full of jeopardy, Dodger is set before the events of Charles Dickens’ iconic novel, Oliver Twist.

David Threlfall (Shameless, Housewife, 49) plays Chief of Police, Sir Charles Rowan while playing Dodger is Billy Jenkins (The Crown) with Saira Choudhry (Life, No Offence) as Nancy.

A teaser from the BBC shares: “Dodger follows the exploits of the infamous pickpocket, The Artful Dodger, and Fagin’s gang as they find ingenious ways to survive the grim and exploitative conditions of early Victorian London in the 1830s.

“The group of young misfits is led by Dodger and his pickpocketing partner-in-crime, Charley Bates, a girl from the countryside with a mysterious past. Charley is played by newcomer Aabay Ali. They are joined by Polly (Ellie-May Sheridan), Tang (Mila Lieu) and Dodger’s adversary in the gang, Tom (Connor Curren).

“Together the orphans duck and dive their way through the criminal underworld, trying to make a better life for themselves, whilst satisfying Fagin’s pickpocketing demands and avoiding the hangman’s noose.

“The police are always just one step away with Sir Charles Rowan becoming increasingly obsessed about how to deal with the gang and catch Dodger.”

The cast also includes Sam C Wilson (Hanna) as Bill Sikes, Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education) as Queen Victoria, Lucy Montgomery (Disenchantment) as Fagin’s landlady, Minnie Bilge, and Frances Barber (Medici) as theatrical dame, Eliza Vestris.

Javone Prince (Horrible Histories) plays inept copper PC Blathers and Rhys Thomas (The Fast Show, Brian Pern) takes an on-screen role as his partner PC Duff.

Dodger is available now on iPlayer and currently airs Sunday afternoons on BBC One.

The series is written by Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery with Charlie Higson guest writing an episode. Rhys Thomas also directs alongside Hildegard Ryan.

Rhys Thomas said: “I have always loved Oliver Twist but wasn’t so keen on Oliver himself. I preferred the company of Dodger, Fagin and the gang. I thought it would be fun to create a family show with Dodger at its heart and see how he came to be a master criminal in Victorian London.

“Working with the very best material as a springboard, it’s a total delight to expand Dickens’ rich world of characters and create a few of my own. To top it all, we have an incredible cast who are starring in the show. I can’t wait for families all over the world to see it!”

Christopher Eccleston added: “Fagin is an iconic role, I’m a very fortunate actor. Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery have taken Charles Dickens’ extraordinary characters and imagined a whole new world and lives for them. I’m very, very excited.”