THIS CITY IS OURS: CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR SECOND SERIES OF BBC DRAMA AS FILMING BEGINS

Filming is now underway on the much-anticipated second series of the BBC’s critically-lauded breakout hit drama This City is Ours, created and written by Stephen Butchard and produced by Left Bank Pictures.

Series one of This City is Ours, which launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in March, has been the BBC’s most watched new drama launch of the year so far, attracting an average 5.8 million viewers, with more than 7.8 million viewers for the first episode to date, more than tripling its initial overnight figure of 1.9 million.

James Nelson-Joyce returns as Michael Kavanagh, alongside fellow returning cast members Hannah Onslow as Diana Williams, Michael’s partner, Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan, Mike Noble as Banksey, Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan, widow of murdered gang leader Ronnie (Sean Bean), and Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Cheryl Crawford.

Joining the cast of This City is Ours are Shaun Evans (Until I Kill You, Endeavour) as former gangster Ozzie Thompson, recently out of prison, and Álvaro Morte (Money Heist, Immaculate, The Wheel of Time) as Felipe Guzman, member of the Colombian cartel and younger brother of Ricardo, who was murdered at the end of the first series.

Picking up from where things were left at the end of series one, Michael and Diana have barely arrived in Spain when they are dragged back into the fold to answer questions around Ricardo’s death. Back in Liverpool, tensions continue to bubble amongst the remaining members of the gang. Meanwhile, an old school gangster from Ronnie's era, recently out of prison, wants compensation from the firm. 

Also returning for series two are Adam Abbou as Freddie, Laura Aikman as Rachel Duffy, Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy, and Darci Shaw as Melissa Sullivan.

Stephen Butchard, This City is Ours creator, lead writer and executive producer says: “We have all been blown away by the incredibly positive response to This City is Ours, I can’t thank the audience enough for their time and emotional investment...

"My heartfelt thanks also to Lindsay Salt and her wonderful team at BBC Drama for their unflinching support and continued belief in the show, our story and our characters - and not least for this opportunity to do it all over again! See you soon!”

Sian McWilliams, Creative Director at Left Bank Pictures and executive producer on This City is Ours says: “We are so delighted to be diving back into Stephen Butchard’s brilliant underworld of Liverpool crime with our wonderful collaborators at the BBC. It’s been a joy to watch audiences fall in love with these fantastically complex characters. After the tumultuous events of the season one finale, the gang rivalries and betrayals have escalated to new levels, new ones have just begun, and there is a lot of unfinished business!”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “This City is Ours was one of our team’s first commissions when I joined the BBC, and I could not be happier with how Stephen, Saul and the Left Bank team have brought it to the screen so classily...

"The response from viewers has been a joy to see, with millions discovering its thrilling, character-driven drama for themselves to become gripped by the raging war of the Phelans. I'm delighted that we now get to build on this fantastic first run and show that things are only just getting started for this very special series."

This City is Ours series two (8x60) is produced by Left Bank Pictures for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.