Four-part BBC drama Dear England tells the story of Gareth Southgate’s tenure as the England football team’s manager, and thus it sees a whole host of real-life famous faces being portrayed on screen.
While Joseph Fiennes plays Southgate, reprising his role from James Graham’s stage play of the same name, Jodie Whittaker plays Pippa Grange, a psychologist and crucial addition to the FA, brought in by Southgate.
Another key figure, team captain Harry Kane, is played by young actor Will Antenbring – but who else stars in the series and who do they all play?
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Dear England, including pictures of the actors side by side with the people they are portraying.
Dear England cast guide: Full list of actors
Here are the main cast members and characters in Dear England – read on below for more info about who they are and where you’ve seen the actors before.
- Joseph Fiennes as Gareth Southgate
- Jodie Whittaker as Pippa Grange
- Will Antenbring as Harry Kane
- Jason Watkins as Greg Dyke
- John Hodgkinson as Greg Clarke
- Daniel Ryan as Steve Holland
- Sam Spruell as Mike Webster
- Adam Hugill as Harry Maguire
- Josh Barrow as Jordan Pickford
- Lewis Shepherd as Dele Alli
- Edem-Ita Duke as Marcus Rashford
- Francis Lovehall as Raheem Sterling
- Abdul Sessay as Bukayo Saka
- Jacob Greenway as Jude Bellingham
- David Shields as Jordan Henderson
- Hamish Frew as Eric Dier
- Alfie Middlemiss as Phil Foden
- Riess Fennell as Jadon Sancho
- Daniel Quincy Annoh as Ollie Watkins
- Bobby Schofield as Wayne Rooney
- Dom Rayner as Cole Palmer
- Xander Westcarr-Parsons as Jesse Lingard
Joseph Fiennes plays Gareth Southgate
Who is Gareth Southgate? Gareth Southgate is a former professional footballer, who made 57 appearances for the England team between 1995 and 2004, and managed the team between 2016 and 2024.
Where have I seen Joseph Fiennes? Fiennes is known for his roles in films including Elizabeth, Shakespeare in Love, Enemy at the Gates, Killing Me Softly and Hercules, as well as series such as Flashforward, Camelot, American Horror Story, The Handmaid’s Tale, Prisoner 951 and Young Sherlock.
Jodie Whittaker plays Pippa Grange
Who is Pippa Grange? Pippa Grange is a psychologist who was brought in as the Head of People and Team Development at The Football Association between 2017 and 2019.
Where have I seen Jodie Whittaker? Whittaker is best-known for playing the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, while she has also had roles in series including Tess of the D’Urbervilles Cranford, Black Mirror, Broadchurch, Trust Me, One Night, Time, Toxic Town, Ready Eddie Go! and Frauds. Her film roles have included appearances in St Trinian’s, Attack the Block, One Day, Get Santa, Adult Life Skills, Journeyman and That Christmas.
Will Antenbring plays Harry Kane
Who is Harry Kane? Harry is a striker for England, who has been the team’s captain since 2018 and is England’s all-time top goalscorer.
Where have I seen Will Antenbring? Antenbring previously appeared in Mr Loverman.
Jason Watkins plays Greg Dyke
Who is Greg Dyke? Greg Dyke was the chairman of the FA from 2013 to 2016.
Where have I seen Jason Watkins? Watkins has had roles in series including EastEnders, Little Dorrit, Being Human, Psychoville, Prisoners Wives, Miranda, Doctor Who, Silent Witness, Friday Night Dinner, Taboo, Line of Duty, A Very English Scandal, Trollied, The Crown, W1A, Des, Around the World in 80 Days, SAS Rogue Heroes, The Catch, McDonald & Dodds, Coma, The Game, Inside No. 9, Dirty Business and Falling, as well as films such as Nativity!, Hampstead and Wicked Little Letters.
John Hodgkinson plays Greg Clarke
Who is Greg Clarke? Greg Clarke was the chairman of The Football Association from 2016 to 2020.
Where have I seen John Hodgkinson? Hodgkinson has had roles in series including EastEnders, Peep Show, Holby City, Witless, Victoria, Catherine the Great, Small Axe and Life After Life, as well as films such as Thunderpants, Skyfall and Napoleon.
Daniel Ryan plays Steve Holland
Who is Steve Holland? Holland is a former professional footballer who was assistant manager to Gareth Southgate with the England team.
Where have I seen Daniel Ryan? Ryan has had roles in series including The Bill, Doctor Who, Home Fires, Mount Pleasant, Vera, Four Lives, Crossfire, Litvinenko, Passenger, The Bay, Such Brave Girls, The Hack and The Lady.
Sam Spruell plays Mike Webster
Who is Mike Webster? Mike Webster is a fictional coach for the England team.
Where have I seen Sam Spruell? Spruell has had roles in series including Spooks, Luther, The Last Ship, Liar, Doctor Who, Fargo, Dune: Prophecy, The Gold and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, as well as films such as Legend, The Martian, The Lady in the Van and H is For Hawk.
Adam Hugill plays Harry Maguire
Who is Harry Maguire? Harry is a professional footballer and member of the England team since 2017.
Where have I seen Adam Hugill? Hugill has had roles in series including Pennyworth, The Watch, Sherwood, Towards Zero and Marvel Zombies, as well as films such as 1917 and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Josh Barrow plays Jordan Pickford
Who is Jordan Pickford? Pickford is a professional footballer and the goalkeeper for the England team since 2017.
Where have I seen Josh Barrow? Barrow has had roles in series including Temple, Hostage and Vera.
Lewis Shepherd plays Dele Alli
Who is Dele Alli? Alli is a professional footballer and an attacking midfielder for the England team since 2015.
Where have I seen Lewis Shepherd? Shepherd previously appeared in an episode of Lynley.
Edem-Ita Duke plays Marcus Rashford
Who is Marcus Rashford? Marcus Rashford is a professional footballer and a forward for the England team since 2016.
Where have I seen Edem-Ita Duke? Duke has had roles in series including War of the Worlds, Vera and Mr Loverman.
Francis Lovehall plays Raheem Sterling
Who is Raheem Sterling? Sterling is a professional footballer and a winger for the England team since 2012.
Where have I seen Francis Lovehall? Lovehall has had roles in series including Small Axe, His Dark Materials, Champion, Criminal Record, Masters of the Air, A Thousand Blows and Waiting for the Out, as well as films such as Death on the Nile.
Abdul Sessay plays Bukayo Saka
Who is Bukayo Saka? Bukayo Saka is a professional footballer and a winger for the England team since 2020.
Where have I seen Abdul Sessay? Sessay has had roles in Doctor Who and Piglets, as well as the film My Oxford Year.
Jacob Greenway plays Jude Bellingham
Who is Jude Bellingham? Jude Bellingham is a professional footballer and a midfielder for the England team since 2020.
Where have I seen Jacob Greenway? Greenway has had roles in the series Father Brown, Emmerdale and Riot Women.
David Shields plays Jordan Henderson
Who is Jordan Henderson? Jordan Henderson is a professional footballer and a midfielder for the England team since 2010.
Where have I seen David Shields? Shields has had roles in films including The Bad Education Movie, Judy and Benediction, as well as series such as The Crown, Doctor Who, Treadstone, Black Mirror, Masters of the Air and Van der Valk.
Hamish Frew plays Eric Dier
Who is Eric? Eric Dier is a professional footballer and a centre back for the England team since 2015.
Where have I seen Hamish Frew? Frew has had roles in the series The Girlfriend and Joan.
Alfie Middlemiss plays Phil Foden
Who is Phil Foden? Phil Foden is a professional footballer and a midfielder for the England team since 2020.
Where have I seen Alfie Middlemiss? Middlemiss has had roles in Emmerdale, The Madame Blanc Mysteries and Doctors.
Riess Fennell plays Jadon Sancho
Who is Jadon Sancho? Jadon Sancho is a professional footballer and a winger for the England team since 2018.
Where have I seen Riess Fennell? Fennell has had roles in Doctors and The Football Fanatics.
Daniel Quincy Annoh plays Ollie Watkins
Who is Ollie Watkins? Ollie Watkins is a professional footballer and a forward for the England team since 2021.
Where have I seen Daniel Quincy Annoh? Annoh has appeared in the series The Recruit.
Bobby Schofield plays Wayne Rooney
Who is Wayne Rooney? Wayne Rooney is a former professional footballer and a forward for the England team between 2003 and 2018. He is England’s second-top goalscorer.
Where have I seen Bobby Schofield? Schofield has appeared in series including Knightfall, Inside No. 9, Time, Anne, The Suspect, The Walk-In, Eric, SAS Rogue Heroes, This City is Ours and the TV film Unforgivable, as well as films such as The Catcher Was a Spy, How to Build a Girl, Locked Down, Cherry, Don’t Breathe 2 and The Covenant.
Dom Rayner plays Cole Palmer
Who is Cole Palmer? Cole Palmer is a professional footballer and an attacking midfielder and winger for the England team since 2023.
Where have I seen Dom Rayner? Dear England is Rayner’s first on screen role.
Xander Westcarr-Parsons plays Jesse Lingard
Who is Jesse Lingard? Jesse Lingard is a professional footballer who was an attacking midfielder and winger for the England team between 2016 and 2021.
Where have I seen Xander Westcarr-Parsons? Dear England is Westcarr-Parsons’s first on screen role.
Dear England begins at 9pm on Sunday 24 May on BBC One and iPlayer.
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