April 9

Who is Mags and where does she fit into Blue Lights?

Mags Thompson is the co-owner of The Loyal pub in Mount Eden in Belfast along with her brother Lee who has taken it upon himself to try to take over running the estate in Mount Eden. Mags watches this unfold as the story progresses while trying to protect her son Henry, and their way of life.

What threats does Henry face that Mags feels she needs to protect him?

Henry is 12 and is always involved in the running of The Loyal pub and around his uncle and his friends. Mags is fiercely protective of him but he is at risk of being exposed to some hard truths and she wants to shield him from that. His relationship with his Uncle Lee, whom he idolises, is fundamental to how the core story arc pans out. Henry looks up to Lee and his military background and his ideals about truth, honour and loyalty are all very admirable things that Henry is impressed by.

Is Lee a role model for Henry?

Henry’s father and grandfather are not in the picture for Mags and Henry so Lee is one of his core male role models along with his Uncle Rab. These two men are his only guides to show him how to behave in the world.

What is Mags relationship like with her brother?

Lee and Mags are extremely close because of the way they grew up in the family bar and losing their mum at a young age and then their dad too. The fact that they’ve had to run a business and grow up a little bit quicker too through the loss of their parents as well as the environment in which they live. Their relationship is really close and they definitely get through to each other more than someone else would.

How much does Mags know about what Lee is really up to?

She thinks she knows what’s going on but throughout the course of the story we learn that he has been keeping many secrets from her. It’s a grey area for Mags in what she knows and doesn’t know. What she chooses to turn away from and what she chooses not to be present for. Underlying everything is her determination to protect her son and the lengths she is willing to go to.

What are her views on Lee’s ambitions for the Mount Eden estate?

Like the saying, ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’, I do think Lee fundamentally is a good guy and I don’t know why he goes down the road he heads down or where that change in him originated. Some of the decisions she makes are the hardest she’s ever had to make and have massive repercussions for her.

What was it about Blue Lights that made it such a hit?

I was so glad to see a homegrown drama, shot in Belfast, with a really strong cast from Northern Ireland, Ireland and the UK. Character is always a driver for me and I think the humanity of the characters hooked me in. Declan and Adam have really given us all something else to play off this series which is so exciting for an actor. I hope the audiences like the new storylines and take to the new characters.

All six episodes in Blue Lights season 2 will arrive on BBC iPlayer at 6am on Monday 15th April, before the first episode airs on BBC One at 9pm that evening.

The rest of the season is then expected to air weekly on BBC One.

Filming on the season took place in summer 2023 in Belfast.