A new true story drama about a toxic waste scandal is set to drop on Netflix - with a stellar cast from across British TV and film.
Toxic Town covers a group of mothers' “battle for justice” who believe toxic waste caused babies to be born with deformities in the 1980s and 1990s.
Between 1984 and 1999, the Corby Borough Council undertook the demolition, excavation, and redevelopment of the former Stewarts & Lloyds site. Open lorries saw toxic sludge split over the roads, and huge amounts of toxic dust polluted the air.
The new Netflix series follows them challenge their town’s council over alleged toxic waste mismanagement, with the streaming platform describing the series as a "story of community resilience in the face of institutional negligence and greed — and the power of parents’ love for their children".
Toxic Town is released in full on February 27 and features an extensive cast from across British TV including Doctor Who, Trainspotting, Outlander and Game of Thrones.
Who is in the cast of Toxic Town?
Jodie Whittaker plays Susan McIntyre
Jodie Whittaker leads the cast as Susan McIntyre, who has a son, Connor, born with a deformed hand. In the trailer for the series, Whittaker’s character says her son “has been in pain his entire life and it wasn’t his fault”.
Jodie Whittaker is most famous for portraying the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, as well as appear in Broadchurch, Trust Me, Black Mirror, Attack the Block and Time.
Aimee Lou Wood plays Tracey Taylor
Aimee Lou Wood plays real-life Corby mum Tracey Taylor, who was affected by the toxic waste scandal when her daughter was born with severe organ deformities and later died.
Aimee Lou Wood has enjoyed huge success in recent years thanks to her breakout role in Sex Education, which led her to appearances in Daddy Issues, The White Lotus, and Living.
Claudia Jessie plays Maggie Mahon
Maggie is one of the affected mothers in the toxic waste scandal, with her child also born with a birth defect.
Claudia previously starred in Call the Midwife, Doctors, Line of Duty, Doctor Who, with her biggest role in Bridgerton as Eloise Bridgerton.
Robert Carlyle plays Sam Hagen
Sam Hagen was a former council worker and then deputy leader of the council who later shared information about a cover-up about the toxic waste. The real-life Sam Hagen passed away in October 2022.
Robert Carlyle is widely known for playing Begbie in Trainspotting films and Gaz in The Full Monty, with other appearances in The World Is Not Enough, 28 Weeks Later, 24, Cobra and Stargate Universe.
Brendan Coyle plays Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas is the head of the local council overseeing the redevelopment project. Roy is not a real character but instead an ‘amalgamation’ of people and views that were on the council at the time.
Nominated for an Emmy for his work in Downton Abbey as John Bates, Brendan Coyle has since returned for the Downton Abbey films. Coyle has also appeared in Murdoch Mysteries, 12 Monkeys, Requiem and Finders Keepers.
Rory Kinnear plays Des Collins
Des Collins is a lawyer who offered to represent the affected mothers if they wanted to launch legal action against the council.
Rory is already famous for playing Bill Tanner in the James Bond franchise as well as Dave Fishwick in the Bank of Dave films.
He has also had several other significant roles in The Imitation Game, Black Mirror, The Diplomat, Years and Years, and the second series of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Who else is in the cast of Toxic Town?
The wider cast includes:
Stephen McMillan (Boiling Point)
Lauren Lyle (Outlander)
- Joe Dempsie (Game of Thrones)
- Michael Socha (This Is England)
- Karla Crome (Carnival Row)
