This City Is Ours is a popular British crime drama TV series that has quickly gained attention because of its gripping storyline, powerful performances, and intense crime-family drama. The series takes place in Liverpool, where a dangerous crime family stands on the edge of a violent internal war. The story revolves around control, power, loyalty, and betrayal, making it a thrilling watch for crime drama fans.
The show uses English as its original language, and Stephen Butchard created it. He also wrote The Last Kingdom. It premiered on BBC One on 23 March 2025, and the team released all episodes on BBC iPlayer. Critics praised its realistic writing style and strong character-driven storytelling, so it quickly became one of the most discussed BBC crime dramas.
In this article, we will cover the cast of This City Is Ours, including main and supporting actors, their character roles, budget breakdown, performance success, reviews, verdict, theme, and platform details. If you are searching for this city is ours cast or cast of this city is ours, this detailed guide will give you full information in an easy-to-read format.
This City Is Ours Cast Members
The This City Is Ours cast is one of the strongest reasons behind the series’ popularity. Every character in the show feels realistic, dangerous, and emotionally complex. The casting makes the crime family world feel believable, with actors who perfectly fit the atmosphere of Liverpool’s gritty underworld.
The lead character is Ronnie Phelan, played by the legendary Sean Bean. Ronnie is the powerful patriarch of the crime family, and his decision to retire creates chaos. Sean Bean’s screen presence adds intensity, making Ronnie feel like a feared and respected crime boss who controls everything around him. His performance is one of the biggest highlights of the show.
Another major character is Michael Kavanagh, played by James Nelson-Joyce. Michael is Ronnie’s loyal right-hand man and trusted enforcer, but his life starts changing when he falls in love with Diana Williams (played by Hannah Onslow). The series portrays Michael as a layered character—ruthless in crime but emotionally vulnerable in love, which makes him one of the most interesting roles in the story.
The main conflict comes from Jamie Phelan, played by Jack McMullen, who is Ronnie’s son and believes he deserves the criminal empire. Jamie is reckless, unpredictable, and hungry for power. His ambition creates a dangerous rivalry between him and Michael. Supporting characters like Elaine Phelan, Rachel Duffy, Banksey, Bonehead, and Cheryl Crawford add more depth, turning the series into a full crime-family saga filled with betrayals, secrets, and survival battles.
This City Is Ours Cast Table
| Actor/Actress | Role | Notable Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Sean Bean | Ronnie Phelan | Crime boss patriarch, strongest screen presence and leadership role |
| James Nelson-Joyce | Michael Kavanagh | Right-hand man, main lead conflict character with emotional depth |
| Hannah Onslow | Diana Williams | Michael’s girlfriend, love storyline and emotional turning point |
| Jack McMullen | Jamie Phelan | Ronnie’s son, main rival and power-hungry character |
| Julie Graham | Elaine Phelan | Ronnie’s wife, strong family backbone and authority figure |
| Laura Aikman | Rachel Duffy | Accountant of the gang, smart and ambitious character |
| Kevin Harvey | Bobby Duffy | Trusted family member and crime-business supporter |
| Saoirse-Monica Jackson | Cheryl Crawford | Adds emotional tension and family drama in crime lifestyle |
| Stephen Walters | Davey Crawford | Gang associate, important supporting role in conflicts |
| Darci Shaw | Melissa Phelan | Jamie’s wife, adds family pressure and emotional angle |
| Mike Noble | Banksey | Michael’s close ally and trusted enforcer |
| Bobby Schofield | Peter “Bonehead” Murphy | Jamie’s enforcer, brings violence and action intensity |
| Daniel Cerqueira | Ricardo Guzman | Colombian cartel representative, adds international crime link |
| Leanne Best | Lesley Williams | Diana’s mother, dark emotional backstory element |
| Adam Abbou | Freddie | Banksey’s son, supports gang activities storyline |
| Nicholas Bishop | Frederico | Supporting crime-world character |
| Yolanda Vázquez | Stefania | Adds international crime connection and supporting depth |
| Shane Walker | Billy | Supporting gang-world presence |
| Shaun Fagan | Barney | Minor supporting role |
| Rob Jarvis | Frankie the Undertaker | Adds darker crime tone and underground presence |
This City Is Ours Budget Breakdown
Since This City Is Ours delivers a high-quality BBC crime drama with cinematic visuals, international filming locations like Liverpool and Spain, and strong production values, the makers likely invested a solid budget in it. The series includes intense crime setups, gang environments, city-level shooting, and dramatic storytelling, which requires professional production crews and realistic set designs.
BBC dramas usually focus more on realistic cinematography rather than heavy CGI, but this show still demands a strong budget because of its filming locations, crime action scenes, and experienced cast. With well-known actors like Sean Bean, the cost of production also increases.
The makers have not publicly confirmed the exact budget, but the overall quality suggests a mid-to-high range budget for a British crime drama series.
Budget Breakdown Table (Estimated)
| Budget Component | Estimated Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main Cast Salaries | $1.5M – $4M | Includes Sean Bean and other major actors |
| Supporting Cast | $800K – $2M | Secondary cast and recurring characters |
| Filming Locations | $1M – $3M | Liverpool and Spain shoots |
| Production Crew & Equipment | $2M – $5M | Cameras, lighting, directors, staff |
| Set Design & Costumes | $800K – $2M | Crime-world realistic look |
| Action Scenes & Stunts | $700K – $2M | Gang violence and chase sequences |
| Post Production & Editing | $1.5M – $4M | Sound, editing, color grading |
| Marketing & Promotions | $1M – $3M | BBC promotions and streaming marketing |
Estimated Total Budget: $9.3M – $25M (Season 1 overall estimate)
This City Is Ours Box Office Collection
Since This City Is Ours is a television series and not a theatre-released movie, it does not have a box office collection. However, its success can be measured through UK viewership ratings, BBC iPlayer streaming performance, and audience popularity. The series performed strongly on BBC One, proving that it attracted a large audience from the very beginning.
According to reported viewership numbers, the show consistently gained millions of viewers per episode, showing that it was not just a one-episode hype series. It maintained solid interest across all episodes, with some episodes crossing the 4 million viewers mark. This is considered an excellent result for a modern crime drama series.
The show’s popularity also grew because of its strong cast, especially Sean Bean and James Nelson-Joyce, along with its “BBC’s answer to Gangs of London” style marketing. The strong response helped the team renew the series for a second season, proving it succeeded both commercially and critically.
This City Is Ours Viewership Table (UK Performance)
| Day/Period | UK Nett (BBC Viewers) | Change % | Worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 1 | 3.64M | Strong Start | High interest in UK and streaming audience |
| Episode 2 | 3.35M | -7.9% | Stable global streaming audience |
| Episode 3 | 3.41M | +1.8% | Growing discussions online |
| Episode 4 | 3.50M | +2.6% | Positive audience retention |
| Episode 5 | 3.92M | +12% | Popularity peak begins |
| Episode 6 | 4.11M | +4.8% | Highest audience response |
| Episode 7 | 3.74M | -9% | Slight drop but still strong |
| Episode 8 | 3.48M | -6.9% | Finale strong closing numbers |
Overall Performance Verdict:
This City Is Ours delivered excellent ratings for BBC One and strong streaming performance, which led the team to renew it for Season 2.
Verdict and Reviews
The verdict for This City Is Ours is mostly positive, and the show is considered one of BBC’s strongest modern crime dramas. Viewers loved the way the series combines family politics with criminal business. Instead of focusing only on violence, the show builds tension through relationships, power struggles, and emotional conflict, making it more realistic and engaging.
Critics praised the performances, especially James Nelson-Joyce, who plays Michael Kavanagh with depth and intensity. His character feels dangerous yet relatable, which makes the audience emotionally connected. Sean Bean’s role as Ronnie Phelan was also highly appreciated because he brings a powerful crime-boss vibe that dominates every scene. Many critics highlighted that the dialogue feels authentic and modern, which makes the Liverpool setting feel real.
The series also received positive ratings on major review platforms. Reports show critics gave the show strong approval ratings and even nominated it for major awards, proving it delivered more than just popularity but also respected. While some reviewers called it slightly “generic” compared to other crime dramas, most agreed that the strong writing and cast performances lifted it above typical gangster stories.
Overall, This City Is Ours stands as a must-watch for viewers who enjoy crime family sagas, gang power politics, and emotional drama mixed with suspense.
Theme and Platform
This City Is Ours builds its theme around crime, power, loyalty, family control, and emotional conflict. The story explores how people build criminal empires not only with money and violence, but also with trust, fear, and manipulation. The biggest theme is succession—who will replace Ronnie Phelan once he steps down. This creates tension between Michael and Jamie, turning the family into enemies.
Another strong theme is love versus crime. Michael’s relationship with Diana becomes his weakness as well as his motivation. The show also highlights how crime affects personal lives, marriages, and future generations. The writing makes it clear that in the world of crime, even family love can become dangerous.
Talking about platforms, the series premiered on BBC One and was also available on BBC iPlayer for streaming. The show later gained international attention and was also promoted for availability on platforms like Paramount+ in some regions. This strong multi-platform availability helped it reach a wider audience beyond the UK.
Conclusion
This City Is Ours is a powerful British crime drama with a strong Liverpool-based storyline, intense family rivalry, and emotional character depth. With a talented cast led by Sean Bean and James Nelson-Joyce, the series delivers suspense, realism, and gripping crime drama that keeps viewers hooked. If you are searching for the cast of this city is ours, this series is definitely worth watching for its strong performances and crime-family storytelling.
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