Vigil TV series: is there to be a season 2 of BBC drama, will Suranne Jones feature, what’s been said so far?

The first season of claustrophobic submarine detective thriller Vigil starring Suranne Jones came to a close last September.

With a gripping plot and high viewing figures, fans of the show were hoping for a second season - here’s all you need to know.

What is Vigil about?

The BBC drama followed DCI Amy Silva, played by Jones, investigating the case of a vanished fishing trawler in Scotland when an officer on a nearby nuclear submarine is murdered.

Over the course of the season, Silva turned into a fully-fledged action hero - in Bond-like fashion she disrupted a Russian plot to weaken Britain’s nuclear defences.

After a white-knuckle series finale which saw Silva solve the nuclear murder mystery, fans were left wondering if a second season was on the radar.

The first episode drew an audience of 13 million over the first month, and the full season had an average viewership of more than 12.5 million.

Will there be a second season?

Yes, a Vigil season 2 has been confirmed.

Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s Chief Content Officer, confirmed the show would return in an interview with Radio Times.

Vigil is joined by a roster of popular shows the BBC has announced will be getting another outing.

These include intense prison drama Time, which stars Sean Bean and Stephen Graham, Martin Freeman police drama The Responder, and Jamie Dornan outback thriller The Tourist.

What will season 2 of Vigil be about?

Information about the plot of season 2 is currently about as secret as the nuclear launch codes, but there have been a few hints about what we can expect.

A change in setting is likely - the titular Vigil submarine served the show well in season one, but writer Tom Edge said a second season would take place somewhere new.

He told Radio Times: “We have probably told as many of the stories as we would wish to tell on a submarine."

However, it is likely that the second season will still be set in Scotland.

Will the cast of season 1 be returning?

Many of the season one cast ended up dead or arrested by the season one finale and will therefore be unlikely to make a return - elaborate prison breaks and reanimation notwithstanding.

It would be hard to imagine a second season without the main star Jones coming back on board, although nothing has yet been confirmed.

Rose Leslie, who played Kirsten Longacre, a fellow officer and love interest of Silva is also likely to return.

Tom Edge will be staying on as the show’s writer - his previous credits include episodes of hit drama The Crown, and Strike, the adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s detective novels.

Production company World Productions, who produced the first season, will also be staying in charge for season 2.

World Productions is responsible for bringing some of the biggest TV shows of recent years to fruition including Bodyguard, Line of Duty and The Pembrokeshire Murders.

Where can I watch Vigil season 1?

All six episodes of Vigil season one are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

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