Meet the cast of ITV's Kate & Koji
Kate & Koji is returning to ITV for its second outing on Wednesday and we can't wait to see Brenda Blethyn reprise her role as cafe owner Kate.
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There has been one major change to the cast since we last paid a visit to Seagate, so read on to find out about all the new and returning cast members.
WATCH: Have you caught up on season one of Kate & Koji?
Who is in the Kate & Koji cast?
Brenda Blethyn
TV icon Brenda Blethyn will reprise her titular role of Kate, a cafe owner who makes an unlikely friend in asylum seeker, Koji.
Viewers will know Brenda for her various roles on both the big and small screen. She is known for starring as the beloved detective, Vera Stanhope, in ITV drama, Vera, as well as playing Mrs Bennet in the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
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On returning to the show, Brenda told RadioTimes.com: "I'm so pleased Kate will be welcoming her customers back into the caff. Even the postman! I’ve missed them. So looking forward to donning the gingham apron and welcoming Okorie to our Kate and Koji family."
Brenda is known for her role as Vera Stanhope in ITV drama, Vera
Okorie Chukwu
Okorie Chukwu will be stepping in to replace Jimmy Akingbola in the role of asylum-seeking doctor, Koji. Okorie is an actor and producer who has previously appeared in Luther and War of the Worlds.
Speaking about joining the cast, Okorie said: "I felt I clicked with Koji instantly when I read the script. That I knew his voice.
"He is a stand-up guy. He cares for people, loves what he does. He is a grounding spirit and yet his world is upside down," he told The British Blacklist.
Okorie has replaced Jimmy Akingbola for season two
Blake Harrison
Blake Harrison will be returning in his role as Kate's nephew, Medium Dan, in the sitcom. The 36-year-old rose to fame after playing Neil Sutherland in Channel 4's smash hit comedy, The Inbetweeners.
The actor has previously appeared in series such as The Great, A Very English Scandal and Big Bad World.
Blake plays Kate's nephew, Medium Dan
Barbara Flynn
Councillor Bone, Kate's snobbish nemesis, is played by Barbara Flynn. The 73-year-old actress rose to prominence playing Freda Ashton in the 1970s drama series, A Family at War. Since then, Barbara has starred in various TV shows, including The Beiderbecke Trilogy, Cranford, Killing Eve and The Durrells.
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Barbara plays the snobbish Councillor Bone
Victor McGuire
Victor McGuire plays cafe regular, Mr Mullholland. The actor is best known for his role as Jack Boswell in BBC sitcom Bread. He also played Ron Wheatcroft in Goodnight Sweetheart.
Viewers will know Victor for his role in BBC sitcom Bread
Why was Jimmy Akingbola replaced?
Jimmy Akingbola played the titular role of Koji in series one of the sitcom but has been replaced for the current series due to a scheduling clash. Jimmy is now starring as Geoffrey the butler in HBO’s reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
What is Kate & Koji about?
For those who have yet to watch the ITV sitcom, the synopsis reads: "Kate and Koji centres around a working-class woman who runs an old-fashioned café in a seaside town and who develops a strong, if sometimes volatile, friendship with an asylum-seeking African doctor. Although from very different worlds, Kate and Koji are similar in ways which they do not recognise, including a dogged determination to never back down!"
Kate & Koji season two premieres on ITV at 9pm on Wednesday 16 March.
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