‘Trying’ Season 5 Quick Facts:
- Trying Season 5 premiered globally on Apple TV on July 8, 2026, with all eight episodes rolling out weekly through August 26.
- The season picks up with Princess and Tyler’s biological mother, Kat, turning up in Nikki and Jason’s life, potentially upending the family unit they spent four seasons building.
- Esther Smith and Rafe Spall return as Nikki and Jason, with Charlotte Riley as Kat and a stacked bench of guest stars including Celia Imrie, Phil Davis and Gbemisola Ikumelo.
- Colin Morgan joins as Kerry, a charming new co-worker of Nikki’s whose presence quietly complicates one of TV’s steadiest marriages.
Trying is finally back. After a two-year wait, Apple TV+’s beloved British comedy created by Andy Wolton returns for Season 5 on July 8, 2026, bringing another heartfelt (and complicated) chapter in Nikki and Jason’s parenting journey. After the young couple spent years fighting to build their family, the couple is faced with their biggest challenge yet when the biological mother of Princess and Tyler, Kat, reappears and threatens the life they’ve worked so hard to create.
Whether you’re catching up or diving into the new season, here’s your complete guide to the Trying Season 5 cast and the characters they play.
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‘Trying’ Season 5 Main Cast
Check out the main cast of Trying and where they are picking up in Season 5.
Esther Smith as Nikki Newman
Image Source: Apple TV
Known For: Cuckoo (2014–2019), Uncle (2014–2017), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016–2017)
Esther Smith plays Nikki Newman, the wife, mother and emotional center of Trying. At the start of the series, she worked at a car rental company and dreamed of becoming a mother with her partner Jason. Four seasons and a six-year time jump later, she is now the parent of two teenagers she fought the adoption system to keep. She feels everything at full volume, and she loves harder than the situation usually calls for, making her just one big personality of her supportive, yet dysfunctional friends.
In Season 5, audiences will see her being pulled in two opposite directions. On one side is the return of Kat, Princess and Tyler’s birth mother, who she sees as a threat to the family she’s spent years stitching together. On the other is a new job in the travel industry and a charming co-worker who makes her marriage feel, for the first time in a long while, a little less certain.
Rafe Spall as Jason Ross
Image Source: Apple TV
Known For: The Big Short (2015), Life of Pi (2012), Hot Fuzz (2007)
Rafe Spall plays Jason Ross, the funny, carefree and slightly avoidant half of the couple. He’s the one who cracks a joke to avoid facing his feelings until they build up and can’t be ignored any longer. Five seasons in, he’s still the same Jason at heart, but fatherhood has forced him to mature in ways that often surprise even himself. This new sense of purpose, plus some inspiration from his old adoption officer, leads him to head back to school to retrain as a social worker.
As Jason balances the demands of his new career with life at home, Kat’s return forces him to confront a challenge no amount of training can prepare him for. Determined to protect the family he and Nikki have built, he must navigate coexisting with the children’s biological mother while proving that being a parent is about far more than biology.
Charlotte Riley as Kat
Image Source: Apple TV
Known For: Peaky Blinders (2014–2017), The Peripheral (2022), Wuthering Heights (2009)
Charlotte Riley plays Kat, the biological mother of Princess and Tyler, whose unexpected return drives the central conflict of Trying Season 5. When she reenters Nikki and Jason’s lives, she’s determined to build a relationship with the children she gave up for adoption. Her arrival forces the family to navigate difficult questions about parenthood, trust and what it really means to be a family, making Kat one of the season’s most pivotal characters.
Colin Morgan as Kerry
Image Source: Apple TV
Known For: Merlin (2008–2012), Belfast (2021), Humans (2015–2018)
New to the series this season, Kerry is Nikki’s co-worker at her new travel-industry job. Funny and easy to get along with, he quickly becomes an important part of her new routine. As Nikki spends more time with him, his presence introduces an unexpected source of tension in her otherwise solid marriage to Jason, forcing the couple to confront insecurities they never expected to face.
Siân Brooke as Karen Newman
Image Source: Apple TV
Known For: Sherlock (2017), Blue Lights (2023–present), Good Omens (2019)
Sian Brooke plays Karen Newman, Nikki’s older sister and closest confidante. Cynical, protective and always armed with a sarcastic comeback for almost any situation, Karen often masks her vulnerability with humor. Despite their differences, she’s one of Nikki’s biggest sources of support.
In Season 5, Karen is balancing raising her daughter, Stevie, with navigating the challenges of married life with Scott, whose latest big idea once again threatens to upend the family’s routine.
Darren Boyd as Scott Filbert
Image Source: Apple TV
Known For: Spy (2011–2012), Killing Eve (2018), Four Lions (2010)
Darren Boyd is Scott, Karen’s husband and Jason’s best friend, bringing enough enthusiasm and naivety for the whole family. Endlessly optimistic and full of ambitious ideas, Scott has a habit of throwing himself into increasingly ridiculous challenges with unwavering confidence. In Season 5, he’s preparing for his most ambitious adventure yet — rowing across the Atlantic — much to Karen’s disbelief. His latest obsession provides plenty of comic relief, even as the rest of the characters grapple with more emotional challenges.
Scarlett Rayner as Princess & Cooper Turner as Tyler
Princess and Tyler are Nikki and Jason’s adopted daughter and son, and after the show’s six-year time jump they’re now teenagers with lives, opinions and growing independence.
Princess remains at the center of the family’s biggest challenge after asking to meet her biological mother, Kat, setting in motion the emotional conflict that drives Season 5. Meanwhile, Tyler is navigating the ups and downs of adolescence, including his first romance, while trying to make sense of the changing dynamics within his family.
Supporting Cast Of ‘Trying’ Season 5
Beyond its core, Trying Season 5 features a stellar cast of returning favorites and acclaimed British guest stars. Phil Davis returns as Vic Ross, Jason’s outspoken father, while Roderick Smith reprises his role as John Newman, Nikki and Karen’s dad. Marian McLoughlin is also back as the mother of Nikki and Karen, Jilly Newman, bringing the quintessential warmth and humor the show was built on.
The new season also expands Jason’s world through his work in social services. Celia Imrie joins the cast as Harriet, a stubborn upper-class hoarder Jason meets during his training, while BAFTA winner Gbemisola Ikumelo appears as a fellow social worker. New additions Branka Katić as Nadya, Danielle Vitalis as Mia, Janine Harouni as Bonnie and Leah Brotherhead as Laurie further round out the ensemble cast.
One of Trying‘s greatest strengths has always been the thoughtfully developed characters, and Season 5 is no exception. While returning favorites provide the emotional foundation of the series, the new characters add fresh complications and perspectives, making Apple TV+’s chaotic comedy as heartfelt and engaging as ever.
Connect Apple TV to DIRECTV
The fifth season of Apple TV’s Trying premiered on Wednesday, July 8, with new episodes arriving weekly through the finale on August 26, 2026. You can watch the new season — and your other favorite Apple TV series from Silo to Shrinking and beyond — within your DIRECTV interface, so all your entertainment is in one place.
You can connect your Apple TV account to DIRECTV to watch all your favorite series in one place. Sign up today!
Frequently asked questions
Who plays Nikki and Jason in Trying?
Who plays Kat in Trying Season 5?
Is there a new cast member in Trying Season 5?
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