Following the breakout success of BBC One’s gripping crime series This City Is Ours, Liverpool-born actor James Nelson-Joyce has quickly become one of the most talked-about talents on British television. His unforgettable portrayal of mob boss Michael Kavanagh made headlines — and had fans speculating whether he might be the next James Bond.Credit: BBC/Left Bank P
The 36-year-old from Orrell Park, recently dubbed “TV’s hottest rising star,” even found bookmakers slashing odds on him stepping into Daniel Craig’s shoes — with some putting his chances at 6/1. James himself quipped he’d proudly be the first “double-O Scouse.”
As anticipation builds for season two of This City Is Ours — now officially confirmed and supported by the Liverpool Film Office — viewers won’t have to wait long to see James back in action. He’s returning this weekend in the second season of The Gold, a crime drama based on the infamous 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery.Credit: BBC/Left Bank Pictures/James S
Premiering Sunday, June 8 on BBC One, The Gold explores the far-reaching fallout from one of the UK’s most notorious heists — when £26 million in gold bullion was stolen, triggering a decades-long saga of crime and corruption.
James takes on the role of Brian Reader, a career criminal and key player in the robbery. While he appeared nearly unrecognisable in the show’s ’80s-set first season, the timeline now moves forward, and trailers show him looking much more like the gritty star fans know today.
The upcoming episodes dive deep into the ongoing police investigation led by DCI Brian Boyce (played by Hugh Bonneville), revealing that authorities had only ever recovered half the stolen gold. The search for the rest of the fortune escalates into a high-stakes chase involving international money laundering, organised crime, and dramatic manhunts.
Also returning is Slow Horses actor Jack Lowden as Kenneth Noye, who will appear from episode three onwards.
Brian Reader, portrayed by Nelson-Joyce, remains a legendary figure in British criminal lore. Nicknamed “the last of the gentleman thieves,” he was sentenced to nine years for his part in handling the stolen bullion. But that wasn’t the end of his story — years later, he masterminded the Hatton Garden heist, one of the most brazen jewellery thefts in UK history.
With the tension building and James Nelson-Joyce front and center, The Gold promises to be one of this summer’s most riveting crime dramas.
The Gold returns to BBC One on Sunday, June 8 at 9pm.
Source: : BBC One