The Feud on Channel 5: Plot, cast, and start date of new Jill Halfpenny thriller about neighbours from hell
By Helen Fear | Fri Mar 21 2025The Feud is the latest thriller from Channel 5, described as "a story of obsession, paranoia, and fear" and starring some of our favourite TV actors including Jill Halfpenny and Rupert Penry-Jones in the cast.
If you're partial to a bonkers C5 drama like us, then you'll already know that Jill and Rupert previously appeared together in The Drowning (the four-parter is still available to watch on Channel5.com).
Like The Au Pair, and The Wives before it, The Feud stars some very cool actors in a borderline preposterous story. And that's exactly how we like it!
Here's everything you need to know about The Feud on Channel 5, including the plot, cast, and start date.
What is the plot of The Feud on Channel 5?
In Channel 5's latest thriller The Feud, we're introduced to Emma and John Barnett who, along with their daughter Beth, appear to live an idyllic life on Shelbury Drive. Of course, this is a TV show we're talking about so their peaceful existence is about to be ruined.
Emma and John are close friends with their neighbours Sonia and Alan on one side, and generally humour older couple, Derek and Barbara, on the other.
However, when Emma and John decide to add a kitchen extension to their house, these friendships prove to be less stable that they all thought.
A C5 synopsis tells us: "As objections to Emma's plans are raised, life-threatening secrets start rising to the surface. Laced with menace, The Feud reveals how Emma's aspirational dream turns sharply into obsession, paranoia, and fear."
When's the start date? How can I watch it?
Channel 5 has now confirmed the exact start date of The Feud is Monday, April 14, 2025.
The series will air on Channel 5 and Channel5.com, with the first three episodes stripped across the week.
It will not be available as a boxset. Instead, each episode will be available to stream after its linear TX.
Who's in the cast of Channel 5's The Feud?
The cast of The Feud is pretty impressive to say the least.
Jill Halfpenny portrays Emma Barnett, whose dreams of an extension cause havoc. Of course, Jill has previously starred in the C5 original thrillers The Cuckoo, The Drowning, and The Holiday. But she's best known for playing Kate Mitchell in EastEnders, Izzie Redpath in Waterloo Road, and Jennifer Robertson in Liar.
Rupert Penry-Jones portrays Emma's husband John. Rupert is famous for his roles in Spooks, The Strain, Silk, and Whitechapel.
Former Emmerdale actress Amy Nuttall, who recently popped up in Silent Witness and Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, plays Sonia Spence.
Ray Fearon - aka Nathan Harding in Coronation Street - plays her husband Alan Spence.
Grantchester star and Only Fools and Horses legend Tessa Peake-Jones plays Barbara Abshire, while The Vicar of Dibley's James Fleet portrays her husband Derek.
Gavin & Stacey's Larry Lamb stars as Emma's dad Terry, Ridley's Megan Trower will play Beth Barnett, Derry Girls' Jamie-Lee O'Donnell stars as PC Gallagher, and Holby City's Alex Macqueen will play oddball neighbour Nick.
Lastly, former Coronation Street Chris Gascoyne will portray Lee the builder. It's his first TV role since leaving the ITV soap in 2023.
How many episodes is it?
The Feud on Channel will be six episodes of one hour each.
It will air on Channel 5 and be available to watch on Channel5.com afterwards.
Where is The Feud set?
The Feud started filming in Newcastle in May 2024. Fans of Jill Halfpenny will know it's close to wear the actress was born.
Taking about the location of the shoot, Jill said: "The courtroom scenes were fun, although it was boiling hot and we were dying from the heat that day. We had freakishly good weather in Newcastle for the whole of The Feud's shoot.
"Sometimes our summers up here aren’t good, but we had the most amazing weather. Every day we woke up and it was bikini weather."
Meanwhile, Ray Fearon added: "Rupert Penry-Jones and I we worked together on the TV series 'Silk' and with the Royal Shakespeare Company. We have a lot of great memories and a lot of great memories of Newcastle, because years ago we worked there for quite a while.
"We've spent a lot of time together working in Newcastle, London, Plymouth, and New York, so it was great to see him and work with him again."
