New series of Morecambe ITV drama The Bay to be shown in new year

Series 5 of the popular show filmed in Morecambe will be shown some time between January and March, although an exact air date is still to be announced.

The plot of the new series will centre around 23-year-old university student Hannah, who is found dead on the edge of docks, giving Morecambe's crime investigation team another case to solve.

Lead character Jenn Townsend, who is returning to work following the death of her father, pushes aside her own grief to support Hannah’s bitterly divided family.

Marsha Thomason returns as Morecambe’s Family Liaison Officer DS Jenn Townsend alongside cast regulars Daniel Ryan, Erin Shanagher and Andrew Dowbiggin.

Olwen May (Happy Valley, Trying) joins the team, while Barry Sloane returns as Chris Fischer, Georgia Scholes plays Chris’s daughter Erin, and David Carpenter and Emme Hayes return as Conor and Maddie, Jenn’s children, with Suzanne Packer (Casualty, Keeping Faith) joining as Jenn’s mum Anne Townsend.

The first episode of the new series was premiered earlier this month at Reel Cinema as part of the first Morecambe Film and TV Festival.

Cast members Dan Ryan, Georgia Scholes, David Carpenter and Andrew Dowbiggin attended, along with Lancaster-based writer Daragh Carville.