After the overwhelming success of Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd is back with another dark, gripping drama: Half Man.
When Ruben (creator, writer and executive producer Richard Gadd) turns up at his estranged ‘brother’ Niall’s (Jamie Bell) wedding, the uneasy reception awaiting him hints at the toxicity of the pair’s former relationship.
But to find out why the men are at such odds, we have to rewind back to late 1980s Glasgow - and the start of Ruben and Niall’s problematic teenage alliance. There we meet the younger versions of Ruben and Niall played by Stuart Campbell and Mitchell Robertson respectively.
As Ruben’s demons present themselves in a tragic cycle of perpetuating violence, Niall is quietly struggling with his sexuality.
Who stars in Half Man?
Richard Gadd as Ruben
Aggressive and domineering, the heavily bearded Ruben is a pretty scary guy who has a strange relationship with his non-biological brother Niall (Jamie Bell).
‘Ruben is so far from any role I’ve taken on before and also from me as a person,’ details Richard Gadd. ‘I’ve done a lot of work to take on the role in terms of changing my diet and putting on a lot of muscle mass to inhabit that role and it has been a huge commitment alongside writing and producing. But I always think fear is never a reason to not do something and it makes it worth giving something a shot.’
As well as roles in shows like Humans (2018), Clique (2018) and Code 404 (2020-2022), Richard Gadd had a prolific career as a comedian before eventually shooting to international fame with Baby Reindeer in which he played Donny Dunn. Based on Richard’s real life, the Netflix series – which Richard not only starred in but also served as writer and creator - quickly became one of the most talked about shows of 2024 and Richard was awarded multiple Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award for his efforts.
Jamie Bell as Niall
Outwardly the quiet and reserved Niall is the polar opposite of Ruben (Richard Gadd), but it soon becomes clear that he too is dealing with plenty of demons. At first that’s his sexuality, but even once he’s out the closet as an older man it's obvious that Niall still harbours plenty of secrets.
English actor Jamie Bell shot to fame with his debut performance of the titular ballet dancing Billy in Billy Elliot (2000) – becoming the youngest-ever BAFTA Award for Best Actor winner. Other notable film roles of Jamie’s include St. John Rivers in Jane Eyre (2011), Tintin in the motion-capture The Adventures of Tintin (2011), Ben Grimm/The Thing in Fantastic Four (2015), Bernie Taupin in the Taron Edgerton-led Rocketman (2019), and Adam’s father in All of Us Strangers (2023). It was on the set of Fantastic Four that Jamie met his now-wife actress Kate Mara. The pair tied the knot in 2017 and have since welcomed two children together, making Jamie a father of three with his eldest son that he shares with actress Evan Rachel Wood.
TV-wise you may recognise Jamie from his role as Abraham Woodhull in TURN: Washington’s Spies (2014-2017) or as Harper Curtis in Shining Girls (2022).
Stuart Campbell as Young Ruben
‘Ruben is two years older than Niall,’ details Stuart Campbell, the younger version of Ruben. ‘He's 17, fresh out of a Young Offenders Institute. He spent the last two years there and is coming back to a very different set of circumstances and a new reality to face up to - moving in with Niall, Niall’s mum, and Ruben’s mum. And as if that wasn’t enough, he’s then confronted with past ghosts to do with his dad, and having to try and connect with his mum again.’
27-year-old Scottish actor Stuart Campbell made his TV acting debut in an episode of Suspects in 2016. Since then you may have spotted him in series like Clique (2018) – which also featured his Half Man co-star Richard Gadd – as well as TV adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather (2017-2020), Baptiste (2021), The Winter King (2023), Shetland (2024), SAS Rogue Heroes (2022-2025), and Karen Pirie (2025).
Mitchell Robertson as Young Niall
‘When we first meet him, Niall is at school,’ introduces Mitchell Robertson – who plays the younger version of Niall – to TVChoice. ‘And although he's a gifted student academically, he's struggling socially. And his life is flipped when he gets the news that Ruben's coming back.’
Whilst Half Man is sure to shoot Mitchell Robertson to fame, the Scottish actor has had some small TV roles before now including Lennox in A Very British Scandal (2021), Eddie in Curfew (2024), and Jack Williams in Moonflower Murders (2024).
Charlie de Melo as Alby
Alby is a key figure throughout Niall’s entire life, and a source of gentleness amidst the chaos and violence of Half Man.
English actor Charlie De Melo is probably best known for portraying Imran Habeeb on Coronation Street from 2017-2022. He was actually nominated for a TVChoice Award for Best Soap Newcomer back in 2018 – his first award nomination of many.
Since then, you may have spotted the star in The Interceptor (2015), Rivals (2024), and an episode of Ellis (2024).
Bilal Hasna as Young Alby
At Glasgow University, Young Niall (Mitchell Robertson) finds a safe space in Young Alby, and the two develop a sweet relationship – until the arrival of Young Ruben (Stuart Campbell).
26-year-old Bilal Hasna was BAFTA-nominated for Best Male Comedy Performance for his role as Kash in Extraordinary (2023-2024). You may also recognise him from Netflix’s 3 Body Problem (2024), Dead Hot (2024), and The Agency (2024).
Neve McIntosh as Lori
Niall’s mum Lori tries to be there for Niall as much as she can, but she's also struggling to navigate the death of Niall’s father and her relationship with Stuart’s mum Maura (Marianne McIvor).
Neve McIntosh has had regular roles in several long-running series over the years including Rita Gorrie – Martin’s romantic interest – in Doc Martin (2001, 2003), Sister Donna Rix in Jed Mercurio’s Bodies (2004-2006), Madame Vastra in Doctor Who (2010, 2011-2014), and Julia Hedges in Traces (2021).
Marianne McIvor as Maura
There’s an obvious tension between Maura and her son Ruben (Stuart Campbell) in the earlier episodes of Half Man – maybe because of her difficult relationship with his father, maybe because of Ruben’s criminal history.
You’d be forgiven for not recognising Marianne McIvor in Half Man because the actress isn’t normally blonde. To date Marianne’s biggest roles include Hazel in The Nest (2020), Governor Sarah Cahill in Screw (2022), and Kate Harley in The Bombing Of Pan Am 103 (2025).
Who created Half Man?
Best known for creating, writing and starring in Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd is back as a multi-hyphenate. Much like his previous award-winning series, Half Man is full of big emotions.
‘I had the idea quite a long time ago – pre-Baby Reindeer actually,’ admits Richard. ‘There was obviously such a big discussion around male behaviour, male violence, male repression, and something sparked in my mind. Where does this come from? A lot of men’s behaviour in later life stems back to traumas and things they learn in their childhood. In your formative years, when bad things happen to you or you experience traumatic things, your brain is still developing so it stays in there.’
Where was Half Man filmed?
Half Man was set and filmed in Scotland – mainly in Glasgow, specifically the West End and Greenock – from February 2025 until the July.
Speaking about the decision to based themselves in his home country Richard Gadd shares, ‘I know Scotland really well. I lived in Glasgow four years - now thanks to the show five and a half. I grew up in Scotland. I'm Scottish. I'm East Coast not West, but I love Glasgow as a city.
‘I think Glasgow has got such strong identity. Glasgow had a lot of problems when I grew up - I'd hear about Glasgow and how it was a scary place to be - and it's moved now to be one of the gay capitals of the world. It's gone through its own seismic shift, and I find that really interesting to mirror Niall’s struggle. He's actually living and existing in a place which is evolving faster than he is. He’s growing up in a city that's running ahead of him, and that was interesting for so many reasons.’
What does ‘Half a man’ mean?
The phrase ‘Half a man’ or ‘Half the man’ suggests having less strength of character and conviction than another individual. It’s generally seen as a bad thing.
When does Half Man air?
Half Man will launch on 24th April on BBC iPlayer, with weekly transmission on BBC One and BBC Scotland commencing very shortly afterwards.
Daisy Hall became a writer for TVChoice after realising that she could make a career out of her incredible ability to extensively name an actor's credits when they randomly pop up in whatever she's watching. Her friends find it infuriating, but hopefully you find it useful!