Liz White takes charge in new BBC crime drama The Northumbria Mysteries
The former Life on Mars WPC will play an experienced detective investigating cases across Northumberland alongside Gurjeet Singh and Robson Green.
Actress Liz White, whose career has frequently placed her in the heart of fictional crime investigations, is set to take on a leading role as Detective Inspector Rose O’Connell in the BBC’s new crime drama, The Northumbria Mysteries.
For many, South Yorkshire’s White first appeared on the police force as WPC Annie Cartwright in the 1970s-set hit series Life on Mars. Her latest role sees her climb the fictional ranks to DI, a journey that has spanned decades of on-screen crime-solving.
White has an extensive background in British crime dramas. She portrayed Fiona Grayson, a former Metropolitan Police officer under suspicion in Unforgotten, and took on the real-life role of Police Sergeant Meg Winterburn in ITV’s The Long Shadow, which chronicled the hunt for Peter Sutcliffe.
White expressed her honour at portraying Winterburn, who was involved in the Yorkshire Ripper investigation, including the handling of a notorious hoax tape. Her other credits include appearances in Blue Murder, New Tricks, Line of Duty, The Chelsea Detective, and Dalgliesh.
While not exclusively playing law enforcement, White has spent a significant portion of her career immersed in the world of detectives, suspects, and murder inquiries.
Born in Herringthorpe in 1979 before moving to Plymouth, White trained at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, graduating in 2001. She has since built a notable career in television drama.
In The Northumbria Mysteries, DI Rose O’Connell is depicted as an experienced detective who has relocated to Northumberland under circumstances yet to be revealed.
Her character is portrayed as someone who prioritises evidence over intuition, possesses quiet confidence, and is driven by a desire to secure justice for victims. While her professional life is organised, her personal life is less so; Rose lives alone and faces challenges in forming connections through a series of unsuccessful dates.
On the job, she collaborates with her younger colleague, DS Raj Singh, played by Gurjeet Singh, as they investigate cases across Northumberland’s coastal communities and market towns.
The eight-part series also features Robson Green as Joe Ruby, an ex-convict and gambler whose criminal underworld knowledge makes him an unexpected ally for Rose.
While Rose brings official police expertise, Joe offers contacts and experience that can open doors otherwise inaccessible to the force.
This series marks another significant leading role for the actress, continuing her recurring engagement with the genre of crime and detection. For viewers who recall her earlier work, it offers a satisfying narrative arc: the former WPC is now firmly in command.