What is Under the Salt Marsh about? Start date, cast, and all you need to know about Sky TV’s new drama.

Set against the storm-lashed coast of Wales, Under the Salt Marsh is a tense, atmospheric crime drama rooted in buried secrets and second chances. The six-part series stars Kelly Reilly as Jackie Ellis, a former detective who has retreated into teaching after a devastating cold case cost her both her career and her family’s trust. When a once-in-a-generation storm bears down on the fictional town of Morfa Halen, Jackie makes a discovery that drags the past violently back to the surface.

Forced to reunite with her estranged former partner, Detective Eric Bull, played by Rafe Spall, Jackie is pulled into an investigation that threatens to tear the tight-knit community apart. As the storm closes in, the pair must navigate long-simmering resentments, unspoken grief, and a town full of people with something to hide—before the rising tide erases the truth for good.

Created, written, and directed by Claire Oakley, Under the Salt Marsh combines propulsive crime storytelling with a deeply human exploration of loss, resilience, and the fragile bonds that hold communities together. The series features a standout supporting cast including Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Yang, Dinita Gohil, Brian Gleeson, Kimberley Nixon, and Harry Lawtey, alongside Mark Stanley, Dino Fetscher, Lizzie Annis, Rhodri Meilir, and Julian Lewis Jones.

Under the Salt Marsh premieres January 30, 2026 on Sky and streaming service NOW—just as the storm breaks.