Blue Lights on BBC: release date, cast, trailer and filming locations - where is new drama series filmed?

New BBC crime drama Blue LIghts follows the experiences of a rookie police officers working in Belfast, a city with its own unique challenges. The officers face criminal gangs and communities divided by sectarian conflict and a troubled history.  

Care worker and mum to a teenage boy, Grace has taken a gamble to leave her job and join the police force in Northern Ireland, where she meets fellow new recruits Annie and Tommy. All three recruits are on their probation period and in the tough world of policing in a harsh city, the odds of them all making it through are stacked against them.

They must navigate the unique situation in Northern Ireland that sets it apart from the rest of the UK, as disputes between Unionists and Irish Nationalists continue two decades on from the Good Friday Agreement. The series is directed by Gilles Bannier who previously worked on The Tunnel, Marcella, and Trigger Point. This is everything you need to know about new BBC drama Blue Lights...

Who is in the cast of Blue Lights?

• Jonathan Harden as Inspector David 'Jonty' Johnston
• Sian Brooke as PC Grace Ellis
• Katherine Devlin as Annie
• Nathan Braniff as Tommy
• Martin McCann as Stevie
• Dane Whyte O'Hara as Gordy Mackle
• Hannah McClean as Jen Robinson
• Valene Kane as Angela Mackle
• Richard Dormer as PC Gerard 'Gerry' Cliff
• Andi Osho as PS Sandra Cliff
• Michael Shea as Mo McIntyre
• Gerard Jordan as Anto Donovan
• Nabil Elouahabi as Joseph
• John Lynch as James McIntyre
• Joanne Crawford as PS Helen McNally
• Matt Carver as Cal Ellis
• Matthew Forsythe as Aodhan McAllister
• Desmond Eastwood as DS Murray Canning

Where is Blue Lights filmed?

The series was filmed from February 2022 on location in Bangor, County Down, around 16 miles outside of Belfast city centre. Speaking to the BBC about production, series star Nathan Braniff said: “I’ve lived in Belfast for most of my life and that was the main draw for me. First of all that a show like this was being made in Belfast. There have been other police dramas set in Northern Ireland but they haven’t focused on what makes policing in Northern Ireland so different.”

Other recent shows that were shot in Belfast include Game of Thrones, Line of Duty, Derry Girls, and The Fall. Films shot there include The Northman, The School for Good and Evil, and - of course - 2022 Best Picture nominee Belfast.

Is there a trailer for Blue Lights?

Yes there is, and you can watch it right here:

When is the release date of Blue Lights?

Blue Lights premieres on BBC One on Monday 27 March at 9pm with episodes airing at the same time weekly. There are six episodes in the series and they will air at the same time weekly. All episodes have already been released on BBC iPlayer and available to watch now.