Entertainment

First look at season two of BBC drama Bloodlands starring James Nesbitt

James Nesbitt as DCI Tom Brannick in season two of Bloodlands.

THE BBC has released the first look of the highly anticipated second season of Bloodlands starring James Nesbitt.

The nine new images give viewers the first glimpse of Nesbitt's DCI Tom Brannick in the critically-acclaimed drama set decades after the passing of his wife during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Season two will contain six episodes, and will see Charlene McKenna, Lola Petticrew, Lorcan Cranitch and Chris Walley reprise their roles.

Victoria Smurfit (Marcella, Once Upon a Time) joins the cast for the second series in the role of Olivia Foyle, an enigmatic widow at the centre of Brannick’s latest case.

Charlene McKenna as DS Niamh McGovern.

SPOILERS FOR SEASON ONE BELOW

The press release for the second season sates:

"When the murder of a crooked accountant unravels a trail of greed that threatens to expose his identity as legendary assassin, Goliath, DCI Tom Brannick (James Nesbitt) and the accountant’s widow, Olivia Foyle (Victoria Smurfit) must keep each other dangerously close."

As they try to solve the riddle her husband left behind, and become more and more immersed in the puzzle of each other, Tom and Olivia draw in Tom’s fellow officers DS Niamh McGovern (Charlene McKenna), DCS Jackie Twomey (Lorcan Cranitch) and DC "Birdy" Bird (Chris Walley), as well as Tom’s daughter, Izzy (Lola Petticrew) until deceit and betrayal force Tom to question just what lengths he will go to, to keep his legacy intact.

Chris Walley as DC "Birdy" Bird.

The first series of Bloodlands launched with an average of 8.2 million viewers (30-day consolidated) and was Northern Ireland’s most watched BBC drama launch on record. Filming has again taken place in Belfast and the surrounding areas. It is produced by Christopher Hall and directed by Jon East and Audrey Cooke.

Bloodlands is produced as part of the BBC and Northern Ireland Screen partnership agreement. The successful partnership continues to support the screen industry in Northern Ireland and help ensure that content filmed and set in Northern Ireland is brought to audiences across the UK and internationally. Bloodlands is distributed by Hat Trick International and will be available to stream on Acorn TV in the US.

Victoria Smurfit as new character Olivia Foyle.

Executive Producers are Jed Mercurio, Mark Redhead, Jimmy Mulville and Chris Brandon for HTM Television and Tommy Bulfin and Tom Lazenby for the BBC. Bloodlands was recommissioned by Piers Wenger, former Director of BBC Drama and Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer.

The second series of Bloodlands will air on BBC One and iPlayer this September. Series one is available to catch-up on the BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Acorn TV in the US.