The BBC has announced the full cast line-up for the brand-new series, of An t-Eilean / The Island…
The Island is the UK’s first-ever high-end Gaelic drama series that brings to screen a tense, twisting story of lies, loss and long-buried secrets, the murder mystery is set against the elemental backdrop of the Western Isles of Scotland. The four-part series, which combines Gaelic dialogue with English, will air in early 2025 on BBC ALBA, BBC iPlayer and BBC Four.
Sorcha Groundsell:
“This feels like a watershed moment for Gaelic. Across the world, we are seeing indigenous languages step confidently out from the shadows to enjoy the recognition they deserve. I see our show as part of that wider movement; a celebration of all that makes us unique. Working on An t-Eilean has been a privilege and a joy. I’m so proud to have been part of a production that is pioneering these new horizons for Gaelic and showcasing the beauty, creativity and depth our language brings to the world.”
Sorcha Groundsell leads the cast as Kat Crichton, a young Family Liaison Officer, assigned to investigate the brutal murder of the wife of a local tycoon at a remote island mansion. Sorcha stars alongside Sagar Radia (Industry) who plays her boss, DCI Ahmed Halim. The murder investigation unravels on the island of Lewis and Harris, from where Kat mysteriously fled ten years previously.
The series cast has been cleverly assembled to combine a mixture of seasoned and home-grown acting talent. Iain Macrae stars as Sir Douglas, the head of the wealthy – but deeply dysfunctional – Maclean family.
Having been wounded in the attack that killed his wife, Lady Mary, played by Elspeth Turner, mystery surrounds whether the self-made millionaire is somehow implicated. Amidst the most stunning Scottish backdrop, this four-part series takes viewers on a murder mystery journey of suspense to find out who the killer really is, with surprising twists and turns along the way.
Joining the cast as the four grown Maclean children are Sinéad MacInnes (Outlander) as Eilidh, Andrew Macinnes as Calum, Meredith Brook as Sìne (Bannan) and Sam James Smith as Ruaraidh. Other cast members include Daibhidh Walker; Sharyn Ferguson, Carina MacLeod, Tormod Macleòid, MJ Deans, Iain ‘Spanish’ Mackay and Julia Taudevin.
In Scotland, around 2.5% of the population possesses some Gaelic language skills. According to the 2022 census, 69,701 individuals reported that they could speak Gaelic, while an additional 46,404 people understood the language but did not speak, read, or write it.
