Grace, Annie and Tommy are growing up fast as police officers, but nothing can prepare them for the turmoil they face every day
PHOTO: Stevie Neil (Martin McCann) and Grace Ellis (Siân Brooke) (Image: Two Cities Television/BBC)
The BBC has released brand new pictures and announced returning and new cast members for the second series of the critically acclaimed Belfast-based police drama Blue Lights from Two Cities Television, coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Spring.
Reprising their roles in the second series are Siân Brooke (Grace Ellis), Martin McCann (Stevie Neil), Katherine Devlin (Annie Conlon), Nathan Braniff (Tommy Foster), Joanne Crawford (Helen McNally), Andi Osho (Sandra Cliff), and Hannah McClean (Jen Robinson). Also set to return are Paddy Jenkins (Happy Kelly), Desmond Eastwood (Murray Canning), Andrea Irvine (Nicola Robinson), Aoibhéann McCann (Geraldine Gilroy) and Abigail McGibbon (Tina McIntyre).
Joining the cast for the second series are Frank Blake (The Border, Normal People) as new Constable Shane Bradley, along with Seamus O’Hara, who starred in the Academy Award-winning short film An Irish Goodbye, as Lee Thompson, and Seána Kerslake (Bad Sisters, Ballywalter) as his sister Mags.
Also joining the cast are Craig McGinlay (Cobra) as Lee’s right-hand man Craig, and Dan Gordon (Bloodlands) playing Mags and Lee’s Uncle Rab.
Grace, Annie and Tommy are growing up fast as police officers, but nothing can prepare them for the turmoil they face every day. It’s a year since the fall of the McIntyre crime gang and the vacuum has been filled by rival gangs, all competing for dominance. Constable Shane Bradley is drafted in to help, but his motivations are unclear. Tommy is dangerously seduced by the world of intelligence policing, while Grace struggles to deal with her son’s absence, and growing feelings for fellow officer Stevie. As a young loyalist threatens to take over the city, the officers face a major gangland feud – culminating in a violent and devastating confrontation.
Writers and directors Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, say: “Blue Lights is a very personal project for us, set in the city where we live, so for us making this show is a special kind of privilege. In series two we join our officers exactly a year after the events of series one, and now they’re facing a whole new set of professional and personal challenges. We’re very excited indeed about bringing you this next chapter of the Blue Lights story. Take a beat!”
Stephen Wright, Executive Producer, Creative Director and Joint CEO of Two Cities Television says: “I am so proud of series one and delighted by the audience response. I am looking forward to bringing our characters and the city of Belfast back for series two as well as introducing some exciting new characters and storylines to the fans.”
Louise Gallagher, Executive Producer and Founder, Gallagher Films: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the first series of Blue Lights. The feedback from the viewers has been more than I ever could have wished for. I am very grateful to the BBC for the opportunity to make a second series and I’m excited about sharing our new stories and revealing where our officers are one year on.”
Nick Lambon, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor, Northern Ireland, says: “We can’t wait for viewers to join another shift with the fantastic returning cast of Blue Lights, as well as meet some surprising new recruits to the team. Declan and Adam’s scripts promise new dangers and high-stakes drama for all our officers, proving that a year into the job, these rookies still have a lot more to learn.”
Blue Lights launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in March 2023 to five-star rave reviews and more than 7 million viewers (28-day figure). It was in the top ten new drama series of 2023 across all broadcasters and streamers, and the biggest drama series in Northern Ireland in 2023. More than half of the 28-day audience (56%) came from BBC iPlayer.
The 6 x 60’ series, for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, is co-created, written and directed by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, co-created and produced by Stephen Wright of Two Cities Television and co-created and co-produced by Louise Gallagher of Gallagher Films with support from Northern Ireland Screen. The producer for series two is Amanda Black (World on Fire, Marcella), Episodes 1-3 are directed by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn and episodes 4-6 are directed by Jack Casey. The executive producers are Stephen Wright (Two Cities Television), Louise Gallagher (Gallagher Films), Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson and the executive producer for the BBC is Nick Lambon.
BBC Studios is the international distributor of both series one and two. Series one of Blue Lights has already travelled across the globe including, the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Poland, Norway and across several Asian countries including India, Singapore and Malaysia.
Two Cities Television is part of the STV Studios family of production labels. Series one of Blue Lights is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
Source
BBC One
