DEATH VALLEY RENEWED FOR SECOND SERIES ON BBC ONE FOLLOWING RATINGS SUCCESS

EXCLUSIVE

Death Valley will return for a second series on BBC One next year following the success of its first outing, which continues on Sunday nights.

The second series, yet to be announced by the broadcaster, will begin filming in Wales this September. The launch of the first series achieved an overnight audience of 2.9m, making it the largest overnight audience for a new BBC scripted comedy in five years.

The murder mystery series follows the unlikely crime-solving partnership between eccentric national treasure John Chapel (Timothy Spall), a retired actor and star of hit fictional detective TV show ‘Caesar’, and disarming Welsh detective sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth).

Thrown together by the murder of John’s neighbour, John and Janie are an odd, yet hilarious duo with opposing instincts. Every week, they get to the bottom of gripping murders, with various stunning Welsh locations providing a backdrop to their investigations.

Joining the cast are Steffan Rhodri (The Way, House of the Dragon, Steeltown Murders) as DCI Clarke - Janie’s boss and so-called mentor!; Alexandria Riley (Baby Reindeer, Lost Boys and Fairies, The Pembrokeshire Murders) as Baxter a straight talking pathologist and friend of Janie.

Melanie Walters (Gavin & Stacey, Father Brown) stars as Yvonne, Janie’s ‘no boundaries’ mother; Remy Beasley (One Day, Steeltown Murders) as Rhiannon the picture of perfection and an old adversary from Janie’s past; Mike Bubbins (Mammoth) as Tony - the un-self-aware and overly friendly Desk Sergeant and Rithvik Andugula (Extraordinary) as DC Evan Chaudhry – the eager to please and somewhat naïve junior police officer.

Death Valley is available now on BBC iPlayer.