Derek Thompson (Casualty, Harry’s Game, The Long Good Friday) makes a return to his hometown of Belfast to guest star as retired police officer Robin Graham in the second series of the hit BBC drama, Blue Lights.
The news follows BBC Director of Drama, Lindsay Salt’s announcement that the BBC has commissioned a further two series of the Belfast-based police drama from Two Cities Television, before the second series airs on BBC One and iPlayer this spring.
Thompson will play retired officer Robin Graham, whose past and conscience catch up with him when trainee solicitor Jen Robinson (Hannah McClean) investigates a decades old case that has dangerous implications for the present.
Actor Derek Thompson says: “I loved the first series of Blue Lights and thought, as did the majority of my friends and colleagues, that it was the best new TV series of last year. I was thrilled and excited {star jumps in the living room} when I got the invitation to take part in series two. I was born in Belfast and was equally excited {more star jumps} to travel over to work on the show and pleased to report, having read the scripts, that I’m sure the fans will love the second series every bit as much as the first. Greatly looking forward to it myself as I’m one of them.”
The Two Cities team added: “We are delighted to have Derek Thompson back working with us in his native Belfast, it is an honour to have him as part of the Blue Lights family.’
In series two, 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.
Reprising their roles in the forthcoming 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), Jonathan Harden (Jonty) and Andrea Irvine (Nicola Robinson). Joining them for the second series is Frank Blake as new Constable Shane Bradley, along with Seamus O’Hara as Lee Thompson and Seána Kerslake as his sister Mags.
Blue Lights launched to more than 7 million viewers (28-day figure). It was within the UK’s top ten new drama series of 2023 across all broadcasters and streamers (all individuals) and the biggest drama series in Northern Ireland in 2023. More than half of the 28-day audience (56%) came from BBC iPlayer.
Blue Lights 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. Blue Lights was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama and Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer. The executive producers are Stephen Wright (Two Cities Television), Louise Gallagher (Gallagher Films), Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson and the BBC executive producer is Nick Lambon.
BBC Studios will distribute all series of Blue Lights internationally. 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.
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