BBC unveils first look at This City Is Ours series two as hit ITV-style gangland drama returns
Fans of hit crime drama This City Is Ours have been handed an exciting first glimpse at series two – and it looks set to be every bit as gritty as the first.
The BBC has released a batch of first-look pictures ahead of the show's return this autumn, teasing more trouble for Michael and Diana as they find themselves dragged back into the dangerous world they were desperate to escape.
The new series picks up immediately after the dramatic finale of series one.
Michael Kavanagh, played by BAFTA-nominated James Nelson-Joyce, and his partner Diana Williams, played by Hannah Onslow, have barely made it to Spain when they are pulled back into the chaos and forced to answer questions surrounding Ricardo's death.
Back in Liverpool, meanwhile, the gang's power struggle is showing no signs of slowing down.
An old-school gangster from Ronnie's era is back on the streets after serving time in prison – and he wants compensation from the firm.
That gangster is Ozzie Thompson, played by Happy Valley star Shaun Evans, who is among the major new additions to the cast.
Also joining the drama is Spanish actor Álvaro Morte, best known internationally for Money Heist. He plays Felipe Guzman, a member of the Colombian cartel and the younger brother of Ricardo, whose murder sent shockwaves through the first series.
The returning cast includes Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan, Mike Noble as Banksey and Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan, the widow of murdered gang leader Ronnie, played by Sean Bean.
Laura Aikman, Kevin Harvey, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Darci Shaw, Adam Abbou and Bobby Schofield are also back for the second series.
Created and written by Stephen Butchard and produced by Left Bank Pictures, This City Is Ours became a major hit after launching on BBC One in March 2025.
The first series finale attracted three million streams before its BBC One transmission, while the show earned BAFTA Television Award nominations for Best Drama and Leading Actor for Nelson-Joyce.
And it is the return of Nelson-Joyce that has particularly excited viewers.
One fan wrote: “I can't wait to see this.”
Another said they loved the first series and planned to watch it again before the new episodes arrive.
Others praised the show's gritty realism, Liverpool setting and Scouse accents, with one viewer describing the drama as “very violent and realistic”.
With Michael back in the thick of the action, a new Colombian threat emerging and an old gangster demanding his cut, series two looks ready to turn the heat up even further.