Created by Neil Forsyth.
Legends premiered on May 7, 2026.
Distributed by Netflix.
Legends (2026) TV Series Review
Legends (2026) is a British crime drama series about ordinary customs workers who go undercover to stop dangerous drug gangs in the 1990s.
The show stars Tom Burke, Steve Coogan, and Hayley Squires, who all give strong and realistic performances.
Instead of focusing on nonstop action, the series builds tension through secrets, investigations, and risky missions.
The story feels serious, emotional, and believable, showing how stressful undercover work can become.
The acting, writing, and dark atmosphere help make the show engaging from beginning to end.
Legends is a smart slow-burn thriller that crime drama fans will likely enjoy watching on Netflix very much.
CR Rating: 9/10.
Legends (2026) Actors
Steve Coogan as Don
DOB: October 14, 1965.
Bio: English actor, comedian, writer, and producer best known for creating and portraying the iconic character Alan Partridge.
Born in Middleton, Greater Manchester, he first rose to prominence through British radio and television comedy before expanding into acclaimed film and dramatic work.
Role: Don is the no-nonsense head of operations, the man tasked with recruiting and steering the undercover team.
In the series, he is the one trying to hold the mission together while balancing pressure from above and the danger on the ground.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Coogan is known for switching between comedy and drama with ease, and he has been especially strong lately in serious, emotionally grounded roles.
Notable Works: Alan Partridge, Philomena, Stan & Ollie, The Reckoning.
Tom Burke as Guy
DOB: June 30, 1981.
Bio: English actor from London who comes from a distinguished acting family and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Over the years, he has built a strong reputation for emotionally layered and intelligent performances across television, film, and stage work.
Role: Guy is a customs officer and devoted family man in Legends.
Initially trapped in the monotony of life at Heathrow Airport, he becomes unexpectedly pulled into the dangerous undercover operation at the center of the series.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Burke is the son of actors David Burke and Anna Calder-Marshall, and he was raised around performance from an early age.
Notable Works: Strike, The Musketeers, War & Peace, Mank, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Hayley Squires as Kate
DOB: April 16, 1988.
Bio: English actress, writer, and playwright who gained major recognition for her breakout performance in I, Daniel Blake.
Born in London, she originally trained in theatre and writing before building a respected screen career across British television and film.
Role: Kate works in customs vice and becomes part of the undercover unit in Legends.
Partnered with Bailey in Liverpool, she brings practical instincts, operational discipline, and emotional steadiness to the team.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Before moving fully into screen acting, Squires developed her craft through theatre and playwriting.
Notable Works: I, Daniel Blake, Adult Material, The Essex Serpent, Great Expectations, The Night Manager.
Aml Ameen as Bailey
DOB: July 30, 1985.
Bio: English actor, writer, and filmmaker who began his career as a child performer before moving into major television and film roles in the UK and internationally.
Born in London, he became widely recognized through British youth drama and later expanded into American television, streaming projects, and feature films.
Role: Bailey is a VAT inspector recruited into the undercover operation in Legends.
Working alongside Kate in Liverpool, he represents the show’s theme of ordinary professionals being pulled into extraordinary circumstances.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Ameen trained at the Barbara Speake Stage School and was a child performer before becoming a major adult screen name.
Notable Works: The Bill, Kidulthood, Sense8, The Maze Runner, A Man in Full.
Jasmine Blackborow as Erin
DOB: August 28, 1991.
Bio: English actress who first gained attention through theatre before building a growing screen career across television and film.
Born in London, she studied at the University of East Anglia before training at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Role: Erin is the civil service secretary who functions as the operational “engine room” of the undercover team in Legends.
She is responsible for creating paperwork, cover identities, and administrative structures that make the operation believable.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Blackborow’s early work was heavily theatre-based, and she has spoken about how classical training shaped her screen discipline.
Notable Works: Shadow and Bone, The Gentlemen, Marie Antoinette, Moss & Freud, Pride and Prejudice (upcoming).
Douglas Hodge as Blake
DOB: February 25, 1960.
Bio: English actor, director, singer, and musician with a distinguished career across theatre, television, and film.
Born in Plymouth, England, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Role: Angus Blake is the director of customs investigations and Don’s boss.
He represents the higher-ups in the operation, which means he helps define both the pressure and the politics surrounding the undercover mission.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Hodge has won major stage honors for both dramatic and musical performances.
Notable Works: Penny Dreadful, Joker, The Great, Red Sparrow, The Devil All the Time.
Charlotte Ritchie as Sophie
DOB: August 29, 1989.
Bio: English actress and singer who became widely known through a string of acclaimed British television roles in comedy and drama.
Born in London, she studied English and drama at the University of Bristol.
Role: Sophie is Guy’s wife and a fellow customs officer at Heathrow in Legends.
Her role gives the series both an emotional and professional connection to Guy’s ordinary life before the undercover operation changes everything.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Ritchie trained in English and drama at the University of Bristol and was also part of the classical crossover group All Angels.
Notable Works: Call the Midwife, Ghosts, Feel Good, You, Wonka.
Tom Hughes as Carter
DOB: April 18, 1985.
Bio: British actor known for polished, emotionally controlled performances in television drama and period pieces.
He trained at RADA and has built a solid career in projects like Victoria, The English, The Game, and A Discovery of Witches.
Role: Declan Carter is an ambitious Liverpool-based drug boss in Legends.
As one of the central criminal figures in the story, Carter becomes a major source of danger for the undercover operation.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Hughes is also the former guitarist of indie band Quaintways, which is a fun detail that makes him stand out from many of his screen peers.
Notable Works: Victoria, The Game, The English, A Discovery of Witches, Cemetery Junction.
Johnny Harris as Eddie
DOB: November 3, 1973.
Bio: English actor, screenwriter, producer, and director whose work often leans into tough, morally complicated men.
He broke through with London to Brighton and later delivered memorable performances in This Is England ’86, The Fades, and A Gentleman in Moscow.
Role: Eddie is Carter’s right-hand man and enforcer, but the show also frames him as a loving family man at home.
That split makes him one of the more interesting supporting characters, because he is not just muscle, he is a man balancing two lives.
Episodes: 5 eps.
Interesting facts: Harris started out in fringe theatre before his breakout film and TV work, and his career has often been built around intensity and emotional volatility.
Notable Works: London to Brighton, This Is England ’86, The Fades, A Gentleman in Moscow, Snow White and the Huntsman.
Gerald Kyd as Mylonas
DOB: 1973.
Bio: Greek-Scottish actor and writer with a long career across British television, theatre, and radio drama.
Born in South Africa and raised partly in Greece and Scotland, he developed a strong presence in British crime, medical, and political dramas.
Role: Mylonas is a charismatic informant who serves as Guy’s guide into the Turkish underworld.
He is the kind of character who can help and mislead at the same time, which makes him one of the series’ most intriguing connectors.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Kyd’s mixed Greek and Scottish background gives him a natural fit for international and cross-border stories like this one.
Notable Works: Casualty, Sherlock, Humans, The Split, Love Rat.
Numan Acar as Hakan
DOB: October 7, 1974.
Bio: Turkish-German actor and producer whose work has ranged from European films to major Hollywood projects.
He is known internationally for roles in Homeland, Jack Ryan, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and The Great Wall.
Role: Hakan is the “King of Green Lanes” and the head of the London Turkish heroin gang.
He is one of the key criminal powers in the series and gives the story a proper gangland center of gravity.
Episodes: 1 ep.
Interesting facts: Acar originally studied civil engineering before switching to acting, which is a nice reminder that his career path was not a straight line into entertainment.
Notable Works: Homeland, Jack Ryan, Spider-Man: Far From Home, The Great Wall, Young Sherlock.
Joshua Samuels as Zeki
DOB: N/A.
Bio: British actor who has started building a growing screen résumé through crime dramas and high-profile British productions.
Although still early in his career, he has already appeared in notable projects and is gaining attention as a rising young performer with a strong presence in gritty ensemble stories.
Role: Zeki is a young lieutenant working within Hakan’s heroin operation in Legends.
Ambitious and energetic, he represents the younger generation inside the gang structure and helps give the criminal world a more volatile, street-level edge.
Episodes: 4 eps.
Interesting facts: Samuels is still at an early stage in his acting career, making Legends one of his most visible television roles to date.
Notable Works: Saltburn, The Gold.
More Actors
• Kem Hassan as Aziz.
• Thomas Coombes as Shaun.
• Alex Jennings as the Home Secretary.
• Con O’Neill as Arthur Goodwin.
FAQ – Legends (2026) TV Series
What is Legends (2026) about?
Legends is a British crime thriller about customs officers who go undercover in the 1990s to infiltrate dangerous drug gangs and dismantle major trafficking networks from within.
Is Legends (2026) based on a true story?
Yes. The series is inspired by real undercover operations carried out by British Customs and Excise in the early 1990s during the war on drugs.
How many episodes does Legends have?
Season 1 consists of 6 episodes in total.
Is Legends a limited series?
Yes, Season 1 is structured as a six-episode limited series, though future seasons have not been confirmed.
Where can I watch Legends (2026)?
The series is available exclusively on Netflix for global streaming.
Conclusion
Legends (2026) is a gripping crime drama with strong performances, realistic storytelling, and steady suspense.
Its slow-burn style may not suit everyone, but viewers who enjoy smart undercover thrillers and emotional character-driven stories will find it highly rewarding and worth watching.