Further casting has been announced for the second installment of the BBC’s hit anthology series Showtrial, written and created by Ben Richards and made by World Productions (Vigil, Line of Duty, Anne) for BBC One and iPlayer.

The new series, featuring a brand new cast and explosive new murder investigation, will this time focus on the trial of Officer X, a policeman accused of murdering a climate change activist.

As previously announced, Showtrial series two will star BAFTA award-winner Adeel Akhtar (Sherwood, Ali & Ava, Utopia), Nathalie Armin (Home, Unforgotten, The Batman), and Michael Socha (The Gallows Pole, Chernobyl, This Is England).

Announced today, the series will also star BAFTA-winner Francesca Annis (Fresh & Blood, Home Fires) Joe Dempsie (Pieces of Her, Game of Thrones), Nina Toussaint-White (Bodyguard, Witness Number 3), Zoe Telford (Men Only, Teachers), Fisayo Akinade (Heartstopper, Dangerous Liaisons), Tom Padley (The Lost Pirate Kingdom, Silent Witness), Kerrie Hayes (Blue Jean, Tin Star), Ali Khan (A Haunting in Venice, Everyone Else Burns), Daniel Kendrick (Inside Man, Call The Midwife), Frankie Wilson (Against the Ice, The Souvenir), Anna Próchniak (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Baptiste), Anna Wilson Jones (Victoria, Harlots), John Light (Around the World in 80 Days, Mars), Aidan McArdle (Spy Master, The Duchess), Daisy Badger (The Sandman, Doctors), Flora Montgomery (The Crown, Bloodlands), Pearce Quigley (Detectorists, The Wheel of Time), John Marquez (Doc Martin, Britannia), Anna Healy (Mother’s Day, Inside I’m Dancing) and Barney Fishwick (Living, The Buccaneers).

When the high-profile climate activist Marcus Calderwood is left for dead in a violent hit and run, he uses his dying moments to identify his killer – a serving policeman. But who is this unnamed Officer X? What does his own history reveal about the nature of trauma and revenge, and was Marcus’s death a careless accident or cold-blooded murder?

From the victim’s last breath to the jury’s final verdict, Showtrial takes us into the worlds of the charismatic and cocky officer Justin Mitchell (Michael Socha); Sam Gill (Adeel Akhtar), an anxious defense solicitor with a reputation for winning lost causes; and Leila Hassoun-Kenny (Nathalie Armin), a rigorous CPS lawyer leading the case against the accused.

As public outrage reaches fever-pitch, Showtrial questions what happens when a trial is dominated by contentious issues and whether the truth is ever clear cut. Is a fair trial possible when tensions are riding so high?

Joe Dempsie says: “I’m such a fan of everyone involved in this, and can’t wait to bring Ben Richards’ compelling scripts to life with all of them.”

Francesca Annis says: “Ben is a wonderful writer and I am thrilled to bring the complex character of Dame Harriet Kenny to life. I was enamored by the scripts and left guessing until the final page.”

Ben Richards says: “Watching new cast added is always one of the most rewarding elements of creating a show. It is truly a privilege to have actors of such variety and talent.”

Simon Heath says: “We’re all very excited by the fantastic cast that Ben’s brilliant scripts have once again attracted to Showtrial.”

Showtrial (5×60) is created and written by Ben Richards, directed by Julia Ford (Everything I Know About Love, Safe) and produced by Ken Horn (Line of Duty, The Moorside). Executive producers are Simon Heath and Emma Luffingham for World Productions (an ITV Studios company), with Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC.

Showtrial is filming now in and around Belfast. It is produced with support from Northern Ireland Screen, in association with ITV Studios which will also handle international distribution. Series one is available to watch now in full on BBC iPlayer.

Praise for Showtrial series one:

“Witty, dark, sarcastic…beautifully written meaty drama” – The Times

“A fresh, considered spin on the usual crime procedural tropes…a compelling slow burner.” – Evening Standard

“Another triumph for the makers of Line Of Duty.” – Metro

“Showtrial takes a familiar theme and twists it in unexpected ways.” – Daily Mail

“Showtrial is the work of World Productions, makers of Line of Duty and Vigil. It shared with those series an attention-seizing premise, barrelling pace and a strong ensemble cast.” – The Telegraph

“Discussing weighty topics such as privilege and gender, the series feels like a welcome break from more traditional crime dramas.” – Refinery29