An T-Eilean: Everything you need to know about the UK's first ever high end Gaelic drama series

Sorcha Groundsell leads the cast of the UK's first high-end Gaelic language drama series An t-Eilean. | Black Camel Pictures/BBC Alba/John Maher

The BBC have announced the full cast of the UK’s first ever high-end Gaelic drama, An t-Eilean (The Island).

Combining Gaelic dialogue with English, the tense murder mystery series is set in the Western Isles with a cast led by His Dark Materials and Shetland actress Sorcha Groundsell.

The four-part drama follows Groundsell as Kat Crichton, a young Family Liaison Officer, who is assigned to the murder of a local tycoon’s wife on a remote island mansion. She stars alongside Industry actor Sagar Radia who takes on the role of her boss, DCI Ahmed Halim.

Sagar Radia as DCI Ahmed Halim alongside Sorcha Groundsell as Kat Crichton. | Black Camel Pictures/BBC Alba/John Maher

Telling a story of lies, loss and long buried secrets, An t-Eilean is full of twists and turns.

Speaking about the show, Groundsell said: “This feels like a watershed moment for Gaelic. Across the world, we are seeing indigenous languages step confidently out from the shadows to enjoy the recognition they deserve. I see our show as part of that wider movement; a celebration of all that makes us unique.

“Working on An t-Eilean has been a privilege and a joy. I’m so proud to have been part of a production that is pioneering these new horizons for Gaelic and showcasing the beauty, creativity and depth our language brings to the world.”

Here’s everything we know about An t-Eilean so far, from its cast to when it comes out.

What is An t-Eilean (The Island) about?

An t-Eilean follows Family Liaison Officer Kat Crichton as she investigates the brutal murder of the wife of a local tycoon alongside her boss DCI Ahmed Halim. Set on the island of Lewis and Harris, they must unravel the mystery of the killer while Kat confronts the place she fled from ten years previously.

Is An t-Eilean (The Island) entirely in Gaelic?

An t-Eilean is set against the backdrop of Scotland’s Western Isles and will combine Gaelic dialogue with English.

An t-Eilean (The Island) cast

With Sorcha Groundsell leading the cast alongside Sagar Radia, other cast members include Bannan actor Iain Macrae as tycoon Sir Douglas and multi-hyphenate Elspeth Turner as his deceased wife Lady Mary.

The full cast of An t-Eilean is as follows:

• Sorcha Groundsell as Kat Crichton
• Sagar Radia as DCI Ahmed Halim
• Iain Macrae as Sir Douglas
• Elspeth Turner as Lady Mary
• Sinéad MacInnes as Eilidh Maclean
• Andrew Macinnes as Calum Maclean
• Meredith Brook as Sìne Maclean
• Sam James Smith as Ruaraidh Maclean
• Daibhidh Walker
• Sharyn Ferguson
• Carina MacLeod
• Tormod Macleòid
• MJ Deans
• Iain ‘Spanish’ Mackay
• Julia Taudevin

Set on the island of Lewis and Harris, An t-Eilean is a twisty four part drama. | Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher

Speaking about the drama series, Radia shared that the show is about “bringing the islands’ rich history to life”.

He said: “Being part of An t-Eilean has been an exciting experience for me. The show really allowed us to showcase the beauty of Gaelic culture and language in a way that feels authentic – it’s about bringing the islands' rich history to life for viewers, and I’m so proud to be part of that."

An t-Eilean (The Island) release date

While no official release date has been revealed yet, eager viewers can be reassured that it will air some time in early 2025.

An t-Eilean (The Island) will be broadcast on BBC Alba and BBC Four, with all episodes also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.