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ITV AND WORLD PRODUCTIONS REVEAL THRILLING FIRST LOOK AT THE SECOND SERIES OF AWARD-WINNING AUDIENCE FAVOURITE, "KAREN PIRIE"
COLD-CASE DRAMA TO RETURN TO UK SCREENS IN JULY AND OCTOBER ON
BRITBOX IN THE U.S. AND CANADA WITH 2 X BAFTA SCOTLAND WINNER LAUREN
LYLE, JAMES COSMO AND MORE
'THIS FEMALE-LED CRIME DRAMA ABSOLUTELY SINGS' - THE GUARDIAN
'ITV HAS A NEW JEWEL IN ITS CROWN' - THE IPAPER
KAREN PIRIE 2025 (C) ITV/World Productions/Photographer: Mark Mainz
Wednesday 11th June: ITV and World Productions (Line of Duty, Malpractice) have
revealed the first look at the return of the critically-acclaimed cold-case drama
Karen Pirie. Double BAFTA Scotland winner Lauren Lyle reprises her role as
audience-favourite Detective Inspector Karen Pirie, with a riveting new case to
solve. After thrilling audiences as one of ITV's most-watched dramas, the 3 x120'
drama, based on celebrated author Val McDermid's A Darker Domain and
adapted by Emer Kenny (The Curse, Save Me Too) will return for a second series
to ITV, STV, ITVX and STV Player in July and on BritBox in the U.S. and Canada in
October.
The first look pictures offer a glimpse into the thrilling 'must-watch'
(Stylist) new series, hailed as 'a refreshing take on the detective-genre'.
After her bittersweet success in series one, Karen has been promoted to
Detective Inspector and seemingly given the authority she has long been fighting
for. Just as she's getting into the swing of her powerful new role, she is assigned
an infamous unsolved case that will put her under intense scrutiny; from her boss,
from the media, and ultimately, from sinister forces that would rather the past
stayed in the past.
The 1984 case of Catriona and Adam Grant has confounded investigators and
intrigued the public like no other. Catriona, the charming young heiress to a vast
oil fortune, and her two year old son Adam, were brutally kidnapped at gunpoint
outside a fish and chip shop in Fife. The ransom notes that followed stirred up an
uncontrollable press storm, but when the culprits fell silent, the police faltered,
and Catriona and Adam were never seen again.
Now, a man's body has been discovered, with indisputable links to the original
kidnap. With the first piece of evidence in decades, Karen must assemble an
unbeatable team alongside her sincere and lovable sidekick DC Jason 'Mint'
Murray (Chris Jenks) and the brilliant - but romantically complicated - DS Phil
Parhatka (Zach Wyatt). With the international renown of the kidnap and the
constant pressure from Catriona's father, Sir Broderick Grant (James Cosmo), the
team take on the biggest challenge of their careers to date. As Karen delves
deeper into what happened in the autumn of 1984, political grudges and painful
secrets reveal themselves, and it soon becomes clear... the past is far from dead.
Lauren Lyle (Outlander, The Outrun) appears alongside series one regulars Chris
Jenks (Sex Education, Vigil), Zach Wyatt (Timestalker, The Witcher: Blood Origin),
Steve John Shepherd (Harry Potter), Emer Kenny (The Curse), and Rakhee Thakrar
(Wonka). Joining the returning cast are Saskia Ashdown (Six Four), James Cosmo
(Braveheart), Frances Tomelty (Unforgotten), and John Michie (Holby City).
Bringing the 1980s to life are previously announced cast members Julia Brown
(World on Fire), Mark Rowley (One Day), Kat Ronney (Dinosaur), Conor Berry
(Schemers), Stuart Campbell (The Winter King), Jamie Michie (Back to Life),
Madeleine Worrall (The Legend of Tarzan), Jack Stewart (Outlander), Thoren
Ferguson (Rebus), and Helen Katamba (The Nest). New additions to the presentday
storyline include James Fleet (Bridgerton), Tom Mannion (Mr Selfridge), and
Tommaso Basili (Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints).
As one of ITV's most-watched new dramas of 2022, the first series premiered with
6.6 million viewers, and averaged 5.9m across each episode. Praised for its
compelling twists and humour, the star-making turn saw the series win both Best
Actress Television and the Audience Award for Favourite Scot on Screen at BAFTA
Scotland for Lauren Lyle, Best Drama at the Celtic Media Festival and a Best Mini-
Series nomination at the British Press Guild Awards. The series earnt critical
acclaim as "modern and fresh" (The Times) and "a truly exceptional example of
the TV crime genre" (Heat).
Karen Pirie is written by Emer Kenny and is executive produced by Simon Heath
and Emma Luffingham at World Productions, Emer Kenny and Val McDermid. The
series is directed by Gareth Bryn with
Amanda Blue directing episode three, and produced by Marcus Wilson. It is
produced in association with ITV Studios, which handles global distribution.
Filming took place in Scotland and Malta.
The series has been commissioned by Polly Hill, Director of Drama for ITV, and
Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair-Jones. Huw has overseen production on behalf
of the broadcaster. Karen Pirie will air on ITV1 and STV and be available for
streaming on ITVX and STV Player and BritBox in the U.S. and Canada. World
Productions are part of ITV Studios.
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