Director: Claire Oakley, Mary Nighy

Cast: Kelly Reilly, Rafe Spall, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Yang, Harry Lawtey

Under Salt Marsh is a 2026 British crime-thriller series directed by Claire Oakley and Mary Nighy, set in a Welsh coastal town slowly being swallowed by the sea. Kelly Reilly leads as Jackie Ellis, a disgraced detective turned teacher whose quiet new life shatters when a child's body washes up on her doorstep.

What is Under Salt Marsh about?

The small Welsh community of Morfa Halen clings to the shoreline beneath steep mountains while a rising sea gnaws at its edges. Jackie Ellis left the police force under a cloud three years ago — her niece Nessa vanished, the case went cold, and her career crumbled with it. Now she teaches at the local school and tries to keep her head down. When one of her eight-year-old pupils, a boy named Cefin, is found dead in circumstances that look like drowning, the whole town convulses. The echoes of Nessa's disappearance grow louder with every hour, and Jackie finds herself pulled back toward the investigation she once failed — this time as an outsider with everything to lose, circling a community that keeps its worst secrets buried beneath the salt water.

Cast & crew

Kelly Reilly, best known internationally for her role in Yellowstone, anchors the series with a performance that is tightly coiled and emotionally raw. Rafe Spall and Jonathan Pryce round out the principal cast, bringing weight to the town's fractured authority figures. Harry Lawtey and Naomi Yang represent the younger generation caught in the community's long shadow, while Bevan Thomas grounds the series in its distinctly Welsh texture.

Context & significance

British crime drama has long been a favourite in Persian-speaking households — shows like Broadchurch and Happy Valley built devoted audiences among Iranian diaspora viewers who respond to the genre's combination of intimate community portraits and psychological depth. Under Salt Marsh follows squarely in that tradition, exchanging the moorland of Yorkshire for the waterlogged coastline of Wales. For diaspora viewers familiar with the weight of unresolved family loss and the difficulty of returning to a place that holds bad memories, Jackie's position resonates on a personal level that transcends geography. The series is available on K-Time with Persian dubbing, so viewers can watch at their own pace without needing to read subtitles — ideal for shared family viewing.

Where & how to watch

Under Salt Marsh is available now on K-Time with a full Persian dub, as well as Persian subtitles for those who prefer the original audio. Stream it on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, cancel anytime.