Everything you need to know about The Bay
Series five has been commissioned
Following the success of the first four series, it's no surprise ITV bosses were quick to commission crime drama The Bay for a fifth series in May 2023, with filming kicking off very soon!
After taking over from Scottish actress Morven Christie, who played the lead role as DS Lisa Armstrong, actress Marsha Thomason will once again return, reprising her role as DS Jenn Townsend.
Here's everything you need to know about The Bay.
What is The Bay?
The Bay is a crime drama series on ITV, produced by Tall Story Pictures and distributed worldwide by ITV Studios Global Entertainment. So far there's been four incredible series of the hit show, with series four landing on Wednesday 8th March 2023.
Series one first hit our TV screens in March 2019, in a gripping storyline which involved main character DS Lisa Armstrong (played by actress Morven Christie) investigate missing twins in Morecambe.
Despite the Coronavirus pandemic delaying the second series, it finally hit our screens in January 2021, showing Lisa being demoted as the team investigated the murder of a solicitor.
Series three then arrived in January 2022, with new character DS Jenn Townsend and her team trying to solve the murder of young boxer Saif.
Series four started on Wednesday 8th March 2023.
It was announced in May 2023 that the show had been commissioned for a fifth series.
When does The Bay start?
No start date has been given for the fifth series of The Bay, but we suspect it will be early 2024.
The Bay series four started on Wednesday 8th March at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
What will happen in series five of The Bay?
Not much information has been given about the series just yet, but ITV did say: 'Series five will see the latest case for Morecambe MIU focusing on the emotionally complex life of a divided family. With the father and mother of the victim bitterly divorced, Jenn Townsend and the team will have to tread very carefully to keep the whole family onside.'
What happened in series four of The Bay?
You can find out everything you need to know about series four of The Bay right here.
What happened in series three of The Bay?
According to ITV: 'DS Townsend is immediately thrown into the deep end when a body is found in the bay on her first day in the job. She must get under the skin of a grieving and complicated family if she has any chance of solving the premature death of an aspiring young boxer.
'While she’s eager to give the family answers, she also needs to prove herself as the team’s newest recruit. The pressure is multiplied when her new blended family struggle to settle in Morecambe, proving to Jenn that a fresh start might not be as simple as moving to a different town.'
Speaking about the third series, ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill said: “We are delighted with the audiences’ response to The Bay and look forward to them meeting DS Jenn Townsend played by the fantastic Marsha Thomason, who joins the team in series 3.”
Why did Morven Christie leave The Bay?
After two successful series on The Bay, Scottish actress Morven Christie made the decision to leave the show, without giving a reason.
The show's producers said: “The show’s producers thank Morven for her brilliant contribution to The Bay and wish her every success for the future.
“While the DNA of the show remains the same, the change of lead offers up the exciting opportunity to place a new character at the centre of the drama and explore the world of Morecambe from a fresh perspective.”
Who was in the cast of The Bay series 3?
Following Morven's exit from the show, ITV confirmed actress Marsha Thomason had been cast as the new lead. Marsha played the role of DS Jenn Townsend, Morecambe CID's new Family Liaison Officer in series three.
Marsha joined series regulars, Daniel Ryan, Erin Shanagher, Thomas Law and Andrew Dowbiggin.
The series also saw guest cast Gary Lewis, Rina Mahoney, Vincent Regan, Barry Sloane, Mark Stanley, Michael Karim, Zahra Ahmadi, Ash Tandon, Nadeem Islam and Georgia Scholes.
Aspiring actors Emme Haynes and David Carpenter also made their professional acting debuts on the new series.
What channel is The Bay on?
The Bay airs on ITV and streaming platform ITVX, and STV for viewers in Scotland.
What time is The Bay on?
The Bay airs at 9pm.
How can I watch old episodes of The Bay?
Series one-four of The Bay are available to watch on ITVX now.
Where is The Bay set?
The Bay is both set and filmed in the stunning coastal town of Morecambe.
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