BRITBOX ANNOUNCES SECOND SEASON OF "LYNLEY," NOW IN PRODUCTION

Star Leo Suter Reveals New and Returning Cast - Including Costar Sofia Barclay - on "On the Box: The BritBox Podcast"

· Today, BritBox announced the second season of Original drama Lynley (8x45'), with production now underway in Dublin. Leo Suter (The Face of Horror, Vikings: Valhalla) returns as DI Tommy Lynley and revealed news of the second season, along with details of new and returning cast members, during an appearance on On the Box: The BritBox Podcast, the new weekly podcast series diving into the very best of BritBox and the TV pop culture shaping screens on both sides of the Atlantic.

· Suter stars alongside Sofia Barclay (Ted Lasso), who returns as DS Barbara Havers. The pair reprise their roles as the beloved detective duo from Elizabeth George's internationally bestselling novels in the drama produced by Playground (Wolf Hall, All Creatures Great and Small).

· Deirdre Mullins (Bad Sisters, Trespasses) joins Season Two as Chief Superintendent Isabelle Ardery, the new head of the Three Counties CID. Also cast are Sara Stewart (Transformers, The Last Knight), who plays Countess of Asherton and Lynley's mother, and Assad Zaman (Interview with the Vampire) as Zain Chaudhry, a charity worker and Havers' new neighbor. Returning cast members are Daniel Mays (The Thursday Murder Club) as Chief Inspector Brian Nies and Michael Workeye (The Moment) as DS Tony Bekele.

· In Season Two of Lynley, the mismatched duo of Detective Inspector Tommy Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers return to investigate another series of complex and compelling crimes - from a suspicious death at an elite horse racing estate, to violent protests at a Cambridge university, to a mysterious suicide on an Essex military base. As the cases unfold, Lynley confronts lingering ties to his estranged aristocratic family and the allure of a formidable new Chief Superintendent in the Three Counties precinct. Meanwhile, Havers pursues a newfound independence and ambition that test her professional and personal boundaries like never before. Together, Lynley and Havers continue to build on their hard-earned mutual respect, relying on each other to solve cases that strike dangerously close to home.

· Lynley is created, written and executive produced by Steve Thompson (Vienna Blood, Sherlock) with Stewart Svaasand serving as lead director and Christopher Arcache (Bookish, Hotel Portofino) as Series Producer. Executive Producers include David Stern and Colin Callender for Playground; Suzanne McAuley (Magpie Murders, Love/Hate) for Salt Films; Robert Schildhouse, Stephen Nye, Jon Farrar and Jess O' Riordan for BritBox; Kate Woods for BBC Studios and Sue Deeks for the BBC.

· Elizabeth George, the New York Times-bestselling author of the original source material, serves as an executive producer on the series. The Inspector Lynley books have been translated into over 30 languages and adapted into a BBC series, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, which ran from 2001-2007 and is currently available on BritBox.

· Lynley's second season will premiere on BritBox in the U.S. and Canada and on BBC iPlayer and BBC One (4x90) in the UK. BBC Studios is handling global sales for season one and two.

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About BritBox

BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television, offering an unmatched collection of expertly curated entertainment. From critically acclaimed dramas and mysteries to comedies, documentaries, and lifestyle programming, BritBox invites audiences to step out of their everyday and into a world of exceptional British storytelling. Launched in 2017 and now owned by BBC Studios, BritBox is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and the Nordics. For more, visit britbox.com, or find the BritBox app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

About Playground

Playground is the production company based in New York and London founded by award-winning producer Sir Colin Callender CBE. With a dynamic and innovative creative team, deep talent relations on both sides of the Atlantic, and a reputation for editorial rigour, the company is known for its consistent track record producing distinctive high-end scripted drama that's smart & entertaining.

Taking advantage of the creative opportunities in the ever-changing entertainment landscape, the company's recent television credits include films and limited-series such THE DRESSER, HOWARDS END, CHIMERICA, LITTLE WOMEN, KING LEAR, the Golden Globe and Bafta winning WOLF HALL starring Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis, and Claire Foy, and most recently its acclaimed sequel THE MIRROR AND THE LIGHT. Recent returning series include six seasons of ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, THE HARDACRES, LYNLEY, MAIGRET, THE UNDECLARED WAR, and it's first comedy, SMALL TOWN, BIG STORY. Upcoming new shows include TREASURE ISLAND and UP TO NO GOOD starring Glenn Close.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is the main commercial arm of BBC Commercial Ltd and generated revenues of £1.8 billion in the last year and profits of over £200 million for a third consecutive year. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes TV and audio globally and Media & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services including UKTV, bbc.com and BritBox International and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. The business made more than 2,800 hours of award-winning British programmes last year for a wide range of UK and global broadcasters and platforms. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, and includes world-famous brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC Studios | Website | Press Office | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram |