Everything you need to know about BBC's crime drama Blue Lights
The drama has been commissioned for three more series
Last updated 15th Apr 2024
If you're a fan of TV crime dramas such as Line of Duty, Happy Valley, and Better, then let us introduce you to a series called Blue Lights. The show, was filmed in Belfast and created by the writers of The Salisbury Poisonings, first aired in March 2023, and now it's been renewed for three more series!
The six-part series follows three rookie police officers working in Belfast, and as series two lands, here's everything you need to know about Blue Lights...
Is there a second series of Blue Lights?
There sure is! BBC bosses confirmed the show had been renewed for a second series on Thursday 20th April 2023, revealing filming will begin in Summer for a 2024 release date.
Director of Drama at the BBC, Lindsay Salt, said: "Blue Lights has been a breakout hit and so many of our viewers have taken the rookies to their hearts which is down to the fantastic cast and Declan and Adam’s vision. We can’t wait to have it back on BBC One and iPlayer for a second series.
“Blue Lights has been a breakout hit and so many of our viewers have taken the rookies to their hearts which is down to the fantastic cast and Declan and Adam’s vision. We can’t wait to have it back on BBC One and iPlayer for a second series.”
Will there be more series of Blue Lights?
Before series two had even landed, BBC bosses confirmed a third and fourth series of Blue Lights has been commissioned!
Sharing the news online in February 2024, bosses wrote: '🚨 Blue Lights series 3 and 4 CONFIRMED! The BBC has ordered two more six-part series of the critically acclaimed Belfast-based police drama'. (sic)
Lindsay Salt, BBC Director of Drama said: “We were bowled over by the reaction to Blue Lights and I’m really pleased to be confirming our commitment to bring two more series of our beloved Belfast drama to air. Adam and Declan have brilliant ideas about where to take the characters next and I can’t wait for viewers to see what’s in store.”
No further information for series three and four has been announced.
What is Blue Lights about?
Series one of Blue Lights follows three rookie police officers (Siân Brooke, Katherine Devlin, and Nathan Braniff) working in Belfast, attempting to fight crime and navigate life in a uniquely dangerous place to be a police officer.
Main character Grace, portrayed by Doctor Foster actress Siân Brooke, decides to leave her stable job as a social worker to join the police force, whilst being a mum to her teenage boy in her 40s.
The BBC say of the series one plot: 'Having previously worked in social care she straddles a fine line between the personal and professional. It’s the biggest gamble of her life, and just a few weeks into the job, she’s making so many mistakes that her decision no longer looks like a winning bet.
'Her fellow rookies are Annie (Katherine Devlin), who struggles with the fact that her chosen path may mean having to leave everything she’s ever known behind, and Tommy (Nathan Braniff), who is desperate to prove himself, despite being disastrously inept at the practical side of frontline response policing.
'All three are new police officers in their probation period with the PSNI, the odds are at least one of them isn’t going to last. The pressure is immense, but if they succumb to it, they won’t survive. Often the rookie officers don’t know the extent of the peril they are in, or who they can trust. What’s it like to have to hide your job from neighbours, friends and even family? How do you distinguish between who needs your help and who wants you dead simply because of the uniform you wear?'
Trailer for Blue Lights:
A 30-second long trailer was released for series one of Blue Lights on Wednesday 15th March 2023, with the caption: 'Coming soon'.
What will series 2 be about?
Speaking in February 2024, bosses say of the second series: 'Grace, Annie and Tommy are growing up fast as police officers, but nothing can prepare them for the turmoil they face every day.
'It’s a year since the fall of the McIntyre crime gang and the vacuum has been filled by rival gangs, all competing for dominance. Constable Shane Bradley is drafted in to help, but his motivations are unclear. Tommy is dangerously seduced by the world of intelligence policing, while Grace struggles to deal with her son’s absence, and growing feelings for fellow officer Stevie. As a young loyalist threatens to take over the city, the officers face a major gangland feud – culminating in a violent and devastating confrontation.'
Check out the first look photos from series two below:
Blue Lights series 2
Blue Lights series 2
Blue Lights series 2
Blue Lights series 2
Blue Lights series 2
Blue Lights series 2
The trailer for series two of Blue Lights was released a couple of weeks before it aired in April 2024.
When was Blue Lights on TV?
Series one of Blue Lights started on 27th March 2023, with episodes airing every Monday night for six weeks. Following the first episode, all eps were available to watch on iPlayer.
Series two has begun airing in April 2024, with the series starting on Monday 15th April 2024. All episodes from series two became available on BBC iPlayer from 6am on 15th April.
Who is in the cast of Blue Lights?
The hit drama has a stellar cast, with Siân Brooke, Katherine Devlin, and Nathan Braniff playing the three lead roles.
Siân Brooke
Martin McCann
Richard Dormer
Katherine Devlin
Nathan Braniff
John Lynch
Jonathan Harden
Valene Kane
Nabil Elouahabi
Andi Osho
Michael Shea
Dane Whyte O'Hara
Hannah McClean
Joanne Crawford
Desmond Eastwood
Matthew Forsythe
See the full series two casting right here.
How can I watch Blue Lights?
All episodes of series one and two of Blue Lights are available on the BBC iPlayer.
How many episodes of Blue Lights?
Series one is made up of six, one hour long episodes.
Series two follows the same schedule.
Where is Blue Lights filmed?
Series one Blue Lights was filmed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the surrounding areas.
Check out all of the filming locations below from series one below:
The Peace Wall, Cupar Way
The Dirty Duck Alehouse
Commercial Court
York Road Police Station
Stormont Parliament Building
Hawthorne Motors
Waterfront Plaza
Craigantlet
Rathgael House, Bangor
The Arc Apartments
Garnerville - Northern Ireland Police College
Filming for series two took place in Belfast in Summer 2023.
Executive Producer Stephen Wright said: “We are thrilled by the audience response to the show. Belfast is a vibrant, dynamic and complex place and we have a wealth of stories yet to come from our characters. We can’t wait to bring these to the fans.”
Who wrote Blue Lights?
Blue Lights was created and written by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, the duo behind BBC drama The Salisbury Poisonings.
The pair said: "Every writer wants to explore their own place, and their own society as authentically and as honestly as they can. We feel enormously grateful to BBC drama for letting us do that with Blue Lights. And to do it with a cast boasting so much new and established talent makes it even more exciting."
The show has been made by Two Cities Television and produced with support from Northern Ireland Screen as part of their continued partnership with the BBC. Carol Moorhead, who worked on the The Fall.
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Blue Lights is available to stream now, with series two coming on 15th April.
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