Long before she wowed us with her performances in Doctor Foster, Vigil and Gentleman Jack, Suranne Jones left the cobbles of Coronation Street and turned to other gripping projects, such as ITV’s Vincent. In in this hidden-gem detective drama of the decade, she stars alongside Ray Winstone as private investigator Beth Goddard – and it’s well worth adding it to your watchlist this August.
The series follows the tough and impulsive private investigator Vincent (Ray Winstone) and his calmer sidekick, Beth (Jones) as they tackle a string of cases the police either can’t or refuse to solve. Across two exhilarating series, they investigate everything from murder to dangerous conspiracies – meanwhile, Vincent’s troubled personal life proves every bit as complex as the cases.
Intrigued? With the series available to watch now, here’s everything you need to know about Vincent, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Vincent about?
The series, which first aired on ITV in 2005, transports us to Manchester where we meet a top Private Investigator firm, made up of: Vincent (Ray Winstone), Beth (Suranne Jones), Robert (Joe Absolom), Gillian (Angel Coulby) and John (Ian Puleston-Davies). Together, they take on cases nobody else dares touch…
We first meet the gruff Vincent as he’s struggling with the breakdown of his marriage to Cathy (Eva Pope), who begins a relationship with his rival DCI David Driscoll (Philip Glenister). Alongside his turbulent work life is an equally testing caseload in his personal life.
Here’s a quick flavour of the drama – in series 1, the team investigate cheating partners, a fatal nightclub stabbing and a housewife’s discovery of a hidden stash of money that plunges them into danger. The second series brings another array of complicated cases, including a married man caught in a honeytrap, violent attacks on a church and a single father whose home becomes the target of a sinister campaign.
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Suranne Jones previously spoke about playing Beth before series 2 landed on ITV1 in 2006. ‘Episode three was my favourite – I’m like Lara Croft. I did some stunts myself. It was great, I didn’t have to go to the gym for three weeks,’ she told Digital Spy at the time. ‘Well, when I say “stunts”, it was me running away from someone or jumping into a car and speeding off. I’d just do a skid and feel really proud of myself,’ she added.
Who’s in the cast of Vincent?
The cast of Vincent includes:
- Ray Winstone (The Sweeney, Beowulf) as Vincent Gallagher
- Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster, Film Club) as Beth Goddard
- Joe Absolom (Doc Martin, A Confession) as Robert Ellison
- Angel Coulby (Merlin) as Gillian Lafferty
- Ian Puleston-Davies (Bolan’s Shoes, Maigret) as John Thompson
- Philip Glenister (Bergerac, Life On Mars) as DCI David Driscoll
- Sandra Huggett (Lady Chatterley’s Lover) as Roxanne
- Eva Pope (Bad Girls) as Cathy Gallagher
Is Vincent any good?
Yes – it’s a classic British detective drama, and the contrast between Winstone’s tough and impulsive Vincent and Jones’ calmer, more level-headed Beth is one of its biggest strengths. The writers also strike the perfect balance between plot and pace, with Vincent’s volatility and messy personal life being every bit as compelling as their undercover missions.
How can I watch Vincent?
All eight episodes of Vincent are available to watch now on ITVX.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
For a detective drama steeped in history, we’d suggest The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, where Inspector Roderick Alleyn (Patrick Malahide) and his colleague Inspector Fox (William Simons) take on cases among the upper echelons of post-war British society. The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries is available to stream now on U. For another stylish detective drama, try Inspector George Gently, where the eponymous anti-corruption inspector (Martin Shaw) takes the rash and young DS John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby) under his wing as they solve a string of complex crimes in 1960s North East England. Inspector George Gently is available to stream now on Netflix.
