Save Me Too: Meet the cast and characters of the highly anticipated sequel

Lennie James's Save Me was an award-winning smash hit in 2018, gripping millions of viewers with its dark tale of child abduction and one man’s hunt for answers and personal redemption.

James (Fear the Walking Dead, Line of Duty) wrote the series and starred in it as Nelly Rowe, a boozer, charmer and chancer whose life was turned upside-down when he was accused of abducting his own daughter who he barely knew.

The highly anticipated series two will pick up 17 months after the events of season two and Nelly’s daughter Jody is still missing. Gideon (Adrian Edmondson) is on trial for the sexual exploitation of Grace (Olive Gray), who Nelly has taken under his wing.

Claire (Suranne Jones) is confronted with the dark possibilities of her daughter’s fate and new character Jennifer (Lesley Manville) faces the grim truth about Gideon, a man she’s been married to for many years.

New secrets will be unearthed, tensions will rise within the Towers community and new suspects will be exposed as Nelly goes further than ever before to protect Grace and find Jody.

Here are the cast and characters returning for Save Me Too…

Nelly Rowe – Played by Lennie James

Nelly is the geezer in the pub who you’ll find regaling drinkers with stories of wild nights. That’s who he used to be - the life and soul of his south-east London boozer The Palm Tree, but the last 17 months have seen Nelly’s playful spirit ebb. While the world around him has moved on from Jody’s disappearance, he is still deeply embroiled in his quest to find his daughter. It is a quest that could come to a grinding halt at any moment… and then what?

Nelly seems to be trying to make a real go of things with Zita. He’s even attempting to be a father figure to her son, Samson. But with that commitment also comes responsibility, and Nelly’s ongoing search for Jody will test his bond with Zita and challenge their relationship to the utmost.

When Grace comes along and offers another shot at finding Jody, Nelly thinks his prayers have been answered. But Grace comes with her own demons and by bringing her into his community, Nelly risks driving away those closest to him, especially Zita. Nelly comes to feel for Grace as he would his own daughter, but as he continues to search for Jody - the daughter he’s never really known - his connection to Grace will cause a conundrum of devastating proportions

Claire McGory – Played by Suranne Jones

After 17 months, Claire and Barry are still living with the everyday trauma of Jody’s disappearance. With BJ away touring with his new band, their house is even more empty and aching from the absence of Jody. Claire is very much still living day by day; existing and trying to keep everything the same as it was when Jody left.

Claire and Nelly have drifted apart a little. While Nelly still channels his energy and time into keeping his search alive, Claire is stuck in a strange limbo. Grief counselling can’t bring her solace because she doesn’t know whether her child is dead. But neither does she know if Jody is alive or for how long she can keep hoping for her safe return. And should she return, would she be reunited with a stranger who has endured unspeakable horrors? As she struggles to find her way through, she and Tam strike up an unlikely friendship.

Grace Mavella – Played by Olive Gray

Since Nelly found her 17 months ago, Grace has been trying to get her life back on track. Bright, quick-witted, tempestuous, and prone to outbursts and anger, Grace is a victim of abuse with a deeply honed sense of what she needs to do, and who she needs to be, to survive.

About to turn 18, she’s aware that the safety net of being a juvenile will soon be pulled from under her, leaving her vulnerable and rudderless. On top of that, Gideon’s trial thrusts her back into the horrors of a life she has been trying to run away from.

Jennifer Charles – Played by Lesley Manville

Living a comfortable existence in a leafy suburb of Greenwich, as far as Jennifer was concerned, her and Gideon were a happy, ordinary married couple of 30 some years. But Gideon’s arrest for sexually exploiting Grace exploded her life as she knew it. Gideon has always been consistently adamant of his innocence and has begged a last favour from his wife - while he accepts their marriage is over, he has asked Jennifer to stay by his side throughout his trial. Jennifer agrees, but as Grace gives her testimony and the harrowing details of her husband’s hidden life emerge, Jennifer’s loyalty will be tested - and she may live to regret her decision. Grieving the life she thought she had, Jennifer will have to come to terms with the monster she’s been married to.

Gideon Charles – Played by Ade Edmondson

A well-spoken, respectable property developer living in a leafy area of Greenwich – that is how Gideon Charles has presented himself. Not the man who conducted the auction where Nelly pretended to bid for Jody, as claimed by Nelly.

Charming and successful, Gideon is used to getting his own way. But underneath that rosy veneer is a man at the centre of a sex trafficking ring. Abandoned by those closest to him in the fallout of his arrest, Gideon finds himself relying on the loyalty of his betrayed wife - someone he has systematically lied to for over 30 years. Will Jennifer remain by his side? And will there be any comeuppance for Gideon Charles? And if there is, at whose hand will it be?

Goz – Played by Thomas Coombes

Guilty about his dalliance with Luke and Gavin without seeing the warning signs, family man Goz is the only person left running around with Nelly looking for Jody. Still a relentless purveyor of obscure facts, second generation Polish Goz probably should have been a lecturer or something. But here he is, a small-time drug dealer, playing chauffer to a man who is almost certainly on a fruitless pursuit. Maybe it’d be okay if he had any idea what’s going on, but Nelly has got into the habit of keeping him and everyone else in the dark.

Zita – Played by Camilla Beeput

Punk-loving Zita is eking out a life for herself and her six-year-old son, Samson. She’s moved on from dancing at the Metropolis Strip Club and has started her own pole-dancing exercise class. She is also exploring a new relationship – with Nelly. She has allowed him, on a tight leash, to move in and share some of the responsibility of looking after Samson.

When Grace comes into the picture, Zita is immediately aware of the demons she brings with her. She knows the type of person Grace has had to be to survive, and that worries her around Nelly.

Melon – Played by Stephen Graham

Melon is an IT specialist from Liverpool who fell in love with his now wife, Bernie, when he probably shouldn’t have. Since Nelly’s meddling put a strain on their relationship in the wake of Jody’s disappearance, things seem to be back on track. So when their 21-week baby scan leaves Bernie crying and unable to stop, Melon can’t explain what is happening. What should be a joyous time for them both becomes anything but. Something that has been dormant begins to fester and will put their relationship to the ultimate test

Bernie – Played by Alice Feetham

From Nottingham, 21-year-old Bernie arrived at The Towers with Melon almost three years ago. Their bond seems to be the meeting of equals – if anything, it’s Bernie who rules the roost. Though she is a lot younger than Melon, she’s now the age that Melon was when they first met.

Two are about to become three - Bernie is pregnant with Melon’s child. While Melon’s unadulterated delight is enough for the two of them, Bernie cannot meet his excitement. She struggles to give voice to what is haunting her, but it will threaten the very tenets of her relationship with her husband. It will rewrite their history and challenge their future.

Stace  - Played by Susan Lynch

Stace is worried for her best friend. It has always been her job to keep an eye on Nelly and she knows that the day may soon arrive when Nelly will have to accept that his search for Jody has come to an end. And then what? That’s what worries her.

They’re old mates, best mates. They’ve known each other since primary school. They love each other. Stace is loyal, direct, honest, fierce, funny and unflinching, she doesn’t mince her words and is deeply protective of those she cares about.

Tam – Played by Jason Flemying

Cross-dressing straight man Tam is a well-known figure on the Estate who still works as a hostess at the Metropolis Strip Club. Now coupled up with girlfriend Heather, Tam has fully grown into the life he had denied himself for so long.

He has become a firm friend of Nelly’s in the wake of Jody’s disappearance and Nelly will continue to turn to Tam in times of need. While Tam is happy to chip in where necessary, he’s all too aware of the toll this has taken on Nelly. But when his friend asks him to hide an unpredictable teenager in his flat in the midst of a police investigation, he may have reached his limit.

Barry McGory - Played by Barry Ward

Husband to Claire and adoptive father to Jody, Barry feels the absence of his child as keenly as anyone. Barry McGory loves his wife and will do anything to stay with her and hold his marriage and family together.

Barry has paid off his debts and the scandal around him buying drugs is no longer hanging over him, but he is struggling. When Gideon’s trial exposes them to the nightmare world Jody might have been lured into, it ushers in a whole new phase of grief.

Watch Save Me Too on Sky Atlantic with a NOW TV Entertainment Pass.

The full Box Set will be on NOW TV from April 1. Catch up on series 1 now.