Rebus 2024 cast, plot and filming locations – BBC Scottish crime drama set in Edinburgh explained

REBUS has returned to our screens after a 20-year hiatus, with Richard Rankin taking on the role previously played by John Hannah and Ken Stott.

Here's everything you need to know about who makes the rest of the cast and where the detective reboot was filmed.

Who is in the cast of Rebus?

Richard Rankin

Best known for his roles in Outlander and The Replacement, Richard Rankin takes on the eponymous role of John Rebus.

Although he shares a surname with the author of the source material, Sir Ian Rankin, the two are not related.

Having played a number of cops before, Richard though he was done with playing such roles.

He explained: "[I've played police officers] a few times now in one form or another. I thought I had sufficiently explored this archetype… and then Rebus came along.

"Rebus is an iconic character in Scottish literature and television. It already has such a huge following.

"That aside, it was within the first ten pages of episode one that had me absolutely hooked.";

He added: "It felt real, it felt dark, and it felt charged."

Brian Ferguson

Brian is known for appearing in movies including Residue (2015), Kiss Me First (2018) and Beats (2019).

Fans of Line of Duty may also recognise him, as he appeared in an episode of the iconic BBC crime drama in 2016.

He takes on the role of John's brother Michael Rebus in the 2024 reboot of the show.

On what made him want to be involved with Rebus, he explained: ";When I read the first two scripts, it was very clear immediately how good they were. I thought they were fantastically written and a really new take on Rebus.

"They felt very contemporary and really honoured the books, whilst being something totally different.

"I knew that director Niall MacCormick was on board as director for episodes one, two and three, and I was lucky enough to work with Niall on The Victim.

"He’s as good as they come really, in terms of a director. So really, it was very easy to say yes!"

Lucie Shorthouse

Lucie has appeared in movies including The Sound of Music Live (2015) and Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2019).

On the small screen she has featured in the shows Bulletproof (2018-21), We Are Lady Parts (2021-24), and she also appeared in an episode of Line of Duty in 2017.

She takes on the role on Detective Constable Siobhan Clarke.

Speaking about what attracted her to the production, Lucie said: "I love crime detective dramas.

"I also love the fact that everyone has heard of Sir Ian Rankin’s novels and that the Rebus novels stretch back for so long.

"So to be part of something like that was fantastic."

Amy Manson

Amy is best known for her roles in movies including Doom: Annihilation (2019) and Spencer (2021), as well as the TV series The Nevers (2021-23).

She plays Rhona Moncrieffe, the titular character's ex-wife and mother of their daughter, in the new series of Rebus.

On what atracted her to the project, she explained: "This script to me read almost like a high-octane thriller or a whodunit.

"I was really just excited to find out what happened at the end.

"But it's not your straightforward police procedural drama, and that's what I loved about it. It’s just brilliant TV drama."

Stuart Bowman

Stuart has appeared in movies such as Slow West (2015) and The Cursed (2021), and TV shows including Gary: Tank Commander (2009-12), Guilt (2021-23) and Chemistry of Death (2023).

He plays "Rebus' nemesis" Ger Cafferty.

Opening up about the role, Stuart said: "On the face of it, he’s a gangster, or a baddie, or Rebus’ nemesis.

"But I think above all what Cafferty is, is somebody who makes the world work the way he wants it to work.

"He has the force of personality and the wit and intelligence to succeed; in fact, there are very few times in his life where he hasn't been able to do that.

"Throughout the course of this drama, we see moments where that is stretched and that's when it becomes really interesting.

"That's why his relationship with Rebus is so fascinating."

What is Rebus about?

In the 2024 reboot Rebus has been reimagined as a younger detective sergeant.

He's at loggerheads with his his job, which he feels is increasingly "driven by corporate technocrats".

Rebus is also engaging in a "toxic" affair and his ex-wife's new husband is getting in the way of his relationship with his daughter.

He also has to clean up his brother Michael's mess — an ex-soldier with financial difficulties.