No Offence is a British television police procedural drama on Channel 4, created by Paul Abbott. It follows a team of detectives from Friday Street police station, a division of the Manchester Metropolitan Police (a fictional version of the Greater Manchester Police). The series stars Joanna Scanlan as the protagonist, Detective Inspector Viv Deering. The first series focuses on the team's investigation into the serial murders of young girls with Down syndrome. It was renewed for two further runs. The second series of seven episodes began broadcasting on 4 January 2017, and follows the investigation into Manchester crime boss Nora Attah (Rakie Ayola). It was filmed on location in Manchester.
In the UK, the first episode of No Offence launched with 2.5 million viewers, Channel 4's biggest midweek drama launch for more than three years. Although subsequent episodes lost overnight viewers, dropping as low as 1.2 million, the weekly consolidated series average remained at 2.5 million and finished 47% up on Channel 4's slot average. In France, the first episode of No Offence aired on 29 February 2016 on France 2 and was watched by 5.46 million viewers, 20.4% of the TV audience. The next three episodes were shown back-to-back that evening and together achieved an average 4.6 million viewers, 19.3% of the TV audience.
A third series was confirmed in July 2017. Filming took place in Manchester in March 2018 and it began broadcasting on 13 September 2018. The six-episode series has a political focus, with the main storyline following the attempted murder of a local politician by a far right group. On 19 October 2018, Paul Abbott stated in an interview that he had begun working on ideas for a potential fourth series, but on 28 November 2019, Executive Producer Martin Carr confirmed on Twitter that the show would not be returning.
Contents
Plot
In the first series, DI Viv Deering is introduced as the dynamic but blunt leader of a team of detectives at a fictional police station within the 'Manchester Metropolitan Police'. DC Dinah Kowalska misses out on promotion to DS after leaving the scene after an impetuous foot chase results in a death. She then uncovers a link between a murder, a drowning and a disappearance: someone is killing girls with Down syndrome. While negotiating different cases, the team must solve the case as more girls come into danger. The prime suspect is killed whilst fleeing arrest, but Dinah and Viv separately conclude that Viv's husband is also involved. Viv burns the evidence and plans to kill rather than arrest him, but he is killed by Cathy while she and Dinah are holding him at Viv's home. With Viv they cover up their involvement before the body is found.
The second series begins a little over a year later, as Viv returns after extended leave and attends a gang funeral, which is bombed despite the police presence.
Cast
Main cast
Joanna Scanlan as DI Vivenne Deering (Series 1–3)
Elaine Cassidy as DC (Series 1–2) then DS Dinah Kowalska (Series 3)
Alexandra Roach as DS Joy Freers (Series 1–3)
Will Mellor as DC Spike Tanner (Series 1–3)
Paul Ritter as Randolph Miller (Series 1–3)
Colin Salmon as DSI Darren Maclaren (Series 1)
Sarah Solemani as DCI Christine Lickberg (Series 2)
Claire Rushbrook as DCI Marilyn Marchant (Series 3)
Saira Choudhry as PC Tegan Thompson (Series 1–3)
Tom Varey as PC Stuart O'Connell (Series 1–3)
Ste Johnson as PC Jonah Mitchell (Series 1–3)
Neet Mohan as PC Taz Ahmed (Series 1–2)
Recurring cast
Charlie May-Clark as Cathy Calvert (Series 1–2)
Claudia Adshead as Donna Calvert (Series 1–2)
Kate O'Flynn as Dr Peep (Series 1–3)
Conor MacNeill as Gavin (Series 2–3)
Chook Sibtain as Sgt. Keith Pankani (Series 2)
Risteárd Cooper as Laurie Gaskell (Series 1)
Hanna Bieniuszewicz as Magda Kowalska (Series 1)
Mia Blakeley as Tessa Kowalska (Series 1); Elizabeth Lomas as Tessa Kowalska (Series 3)
Siobhán McSweeney as Ruth Cheetam (Series 1)
Philip McGinley as Bob Simmons (Series 1)
Ben Tavassoli as Alpha (Series 1)
Daniel Ginty as Luke Hyatt (Series 1)
Hannah Walters as Connie Ball (Series 1)
Rakie Ayola as Nora Attah (Series 2)
Zackary Momoh as Mani Attah (Series 2)
Zak Sutcliffe as Kim Garvey (Series 2)
Felix Scott as DS Ewan Murray (Series 2)
Phil Dunster as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Pembroke (Series 3)
Lisa McGrillis as Caroline McCoy (Series 3)
Characters
Main
Detective Inspector Vivenne Deering (Joanna Scanlan) is a cast-iron cop with a tough-love approach to managing her team. She is at the prime of her life and capable in her job. However, with a high-flying career comes a disintegrating home life.
Detective Constable / Detective Sergeant Dinah Kowalska (Elaine Cassidy) is a strong yet impulsive member of the team. She is passed over for a promotion to sergeant following a stupid mistake, and it's not long before she makes another move in following her emotions, which threatens her job. She lives with her eccentric Polish mother Magda and her teenage daughter Tessa.
Detective Sergeant Joy Freers (Alexandra Roach) is an equally brilliant detective but one who is shy of the spotlight. Her promotion to sergeant ahead of Dinah removes her from her comfort zone; if only she recognised her own brilliance behind her anxiety.
Detective Constable Spike Tanner (Will Mellor) is a risk-taking headstrong man amongst the powerful women of the group. He provides emotional glue for the group, but he is also a cheeky fun-loving guy.
Randolph Miller (Paul Ritter) is an eccentric in forensics, despite the team's general despair of his lacklustre attitude to the job. Often hungover, it's lucky Randolph's a maverick who's amazing at his job.
Detective Superintendent Darren Maclaren (Colin Salmon) is the big boss who even Viv has to answer to. He is straight-talking but manipulative; he is the only man who can take on Viv, and even then she's more than a handful.
Detective Chief Inspector Christine Lickberg (Sarah Solemani) is Viv's new boss in the second series. She's not afraid to question Viv's decisions, and does not intend to make friends of the team.
Detective Chief Inspector Marilyn Marchant (Claire Rushbrook) is Viv's new boss in the third series, who provides both support to Viv and firm leadership depending on what the moment requires.
Recurring
Cathy Calvert (Charlie May-Clark) is a young woman from a broken home who becomes a person of interest for the team after she becomes a target for a serial killer. She later stays with Dinah and her family, thus developing a familial bond with Dinah.
Donna Calvert (Claudia Adshead) is Cathy's older sister and a former drug addict attempting to turn her life around. Her role as Nora Attah's hairdresser brings her into more professional contact with Viv's team in the second series.
Dr Peep (Kate O'Flynn) is a longtime friend of Dinah's and consultant psychiatrist working with the police on cases requiring her psychological expertise.
Tessa Kowalska (Mia Blakeley, Series 1 & Elizabeth Lomas, Series 3) is Dinah's teenage daughter and Magda's granddaughter.
Gavin (Conor MacNeill) is a civilian support worker within Viv's unit, replacing Connie Ball from the second series onwards.
Laurie Gaskell (Risteárd Cooper) is Viv's husband and an aspiring musician, who often takes issue with the hours required for Viv's job.
Magda Kowalska (Hanna Bieniuszewicz) is Dinah's mother and Tessa's grandmother who lives with the family.
Ruth Cheetham (Siobhán McSweeney) is a nurse at one of the local Accident & Emergency departments who occasionally comes into contact with the team and later dates Jonah.
Patrick Llewellyn (Peter McDonald) is a social worker and community group leader for young people with Down's Syndrome who encounters Viv's unit during their investigation into a serial killer.
Alpha (Ben Tavassoli) is the boyfriend of Cathy Calvert and the father of her child.
Episode list
Reception
DVD
The complete Series One and Two were released on 10 August 2015, as well as a boxset containing both series. The complete Series Three was released on 22 October 2018, along with a complete collection containing all three series.