David Farnor | On 27, Apr 2024

The Responder will return to BBC One this May, and a new trailer gives us a first look at Martin Freeman back in action.

Written by ex-police officer Tony Schumacher and produced by Dancing Ledge Production, the Liverpool-set drama stars Freeman as Chris, an urgent response officer who is paired with a rookie, Rachel (Adelayo Adedayo).

“Martin Freeman is blisteringly intense in this searing state-of-the-nation police thriller,” we wrote in our review of Season 1.

After Season 1 asked whether they would save or destroy each other, Season 2 picks up as Chris is trying to stay on the straight and narrow. But when he crosses a top drug dealer, he starts to fall back into old, corrupt ways.

Season 2 will premiere on 5th May on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

 

BBC renews The Tourist, The Responder, Vigil and Time for Season 2

22nd March 2022

BBC has renewed The Tourist, The Responder, Vigil and Time for a second season.

The group renewal marks a concerted move by the Beeb to double down on its biggest successes of the past year. The Tourist is the highest-rating drama of 2022 so far, having launched with a huge 12 million viewers and all six episodes were the most-watched episodes on BBC iPlayer in January this year.

Season 2 of The Tourist will once again be written by Harry and Jack Williams (Baptiste, The Missing, Liar), who alongside Christopher Aird will serve as executive producers.

The second biggest new drama of 2022 so far was The Responder, launching with nearly 10 million viewers across 30 days.

Season 2 of The Responder will be written by ex-police officer Tony Schumacher and produced by Dancing Ledge Productions for BBC One and iPlayer. It will once again be set and filmed in Liverpool.

In 2021, Vigil was the UK’s most-watched new drama launch in three years (since Bodyguard in 2018), attracting an audience of over 13 million viewers across 30 days for Episode 1, and the series overall had an average of 12.6m viewers (30 days).

Season 2 of Vigil will be set and filmed in Scotland again, and will be written by Tom Edge.

Time was one of 2021’s highest performing new dramas with nearly 12 million viewers over 30-days for the series overall.

Time Season 2 will be written by Jimmy McGovern and will welcome a new cast and be set in an all-female prison.

Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer says: “The BBC is on fire creatively and the return of four of our biggest dramas over the last year demonstrates the sheer scale and range of storytelling on the BBC.”

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