DI Ray: release date, cast and trailer of ITV drama set in Birmingham - and who is writer behind the show?

The four part series begins in May
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ITV’s new hit crime drama ‘DI Ray’ comes to our screens in May.

The show is both filmed and set in Birmingham, with some familiar city sights possibly visible throughout the series.

The wait for the show is almost over, and ahead of the series opener here’s all you need to know about the drama including which actors star in it and are the writers behind the programme.

A warning, this piece does contain spoilers about the show.

What is DI Ray?

Set in Birmingham, DI Ray introduces us to Leicester-born Rachita Ray, a police officer who takes on a case that forces her to confront a lifelong personal conflict between her British identity and her South Asian heritage.

Rachita achieves the promotion she’s been waiting for when she’s asked to join a homicide investigation.

However, on her first day she’s told the murder to which she’s been assigned is a ‘Culturally Specific Homicide.’

Rachita’s heart sinks – she suspects she’s a ‘token appointment’, chosen for her ethnicity rather than her ability.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Rachita sticks to the case, determined to both find the killer and call out the obvious biases her colleagues are bringing to the investigation. And it’s far from easy.

The case isn’t a run-of-the-mill murder; it involves delving deep into the dangerous world of organised crime.

Rachita is more than up for the task, but what she didn’t count on is what this case stirs up inside her; the realisation that she’s been burying a personal identity crisis her whole life.

Who is in the show?

There are plenty of familiar faces making appearances in the show.

Parminder Nagra, who has starred in other shows such as ‘Agents of SHIELD’ and the 2018 horror film ‘Bird Box’, plays the leading role of DI Rachita Ray in the show.

She is joined on screen by Gemma Whelan who plays the role of DCI Kerry Henderson.

Whelan will be familiar to Game of Thrones fans from her depiction of Yara Greyjoy in 16 episodes of the hit HBO series.

She also played Geraldine Martens  in the dramatic spy thriller ‘Killing Eve’.

Jamie Bamber plays DCI Martyn Hunter, another of DI Ray’s work colleagues. Bamber is no stranger to portraying a police officer, and is well known for being DS Matt Devlin in ‘Law and Order UK’.

Also playing important roles in the show are Maanuv Thiara (PS Tony Khatri) and Ian Puleston-Davies (Supt Ross Beardsmore)

Who has written the show?

Fresh, relevant and thought-provoking, DI Ray is written by Birmingham-born Line of Duty actress and screenwriter Maya Sondhi (Mount Pleasant, The Kumars, Ackley Bridge, EastEnders).

The show is produced by Jed Mercurio’s HTM Television (Bloodlands). Jed Mercurio (Line of Duty, Bodyguard) executive produced the series, alongside Madonna Baptiste (The Stranger, Black Mirror, Stephen).

It was directed by Audrey Cooke and Alex Pillai and produced by Charlotte Surtees (Code 404, Two Weeks to Live, Dave Allen At Peace).

What can we expect from the series?

ITV have given a short, synopsis of each of the four episodes, giving an insight into what we can expect.

Episode one

D.I. Rachita Ray is promoted to homicide but realises instantly she is a token hire and that the so called ‘culturally specific homicide’ she is assigned to, is anything but.

Episode two

Rachita and the team race to track down Anjuli Kapoor making more than one grim discovery in the process. This is no honour crime.

Episode three

The body count continues to rise as Rachita and the team uncover more evidence leading them to believe they are dealing with highly dangerous organised criminals.

Rachita makes a shocking discovery which has a huge impact on both her investigation and her personal life.

When does the show air?

DI Ray airs at 9pm on Monday, 2 May on ITV 1.

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