Will there be a Manhunt season 3?
Martin Clunes stars as real-life detective Colin Sutton in the ITV drama – but when will it be back for series three? Read on for everything we know so far.
ITV's Manhunt returned last week with its second series starring Martin Clunes as real-life detective Colin Sutton, and captivated audiences all over again with another adaptation of Sutton's memoirs.
Series two followed Sutton as he pursued South East London's Night Stalker, Delroy Grant – a serial rapist who preyed on elderly women living alone from 1992 until he was finally caught in 2009.
After airing over four consecutive nights on ITV, the gripping detective drama came to a conclusion, with many viewers wondering when exactly we'd be seeing Martin Clunes as Sutton again in the future.
While there's no official word yet from ITV as to when we can expect Manhunt's return, according to the real-life Colin Sutton there is still more material to explore. Read on for everything we know so far about Manhunt season three.
Will Manhunt return for season 3?
While ITV is yet to confirm whether Manhunt is officially returning for another series, Colin Sutton – whose memoirs inspired the drama – said earlier this year that he was currently in talks about a possible follow-up season.
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When asked whether there were more cases of his that could be adapted for the small screen, Sutton said: "There might be. After we did the first one, I wasn't sure about this one. We're thinking about it and we're talking about it and we have to say there's a possibility, I think."
Meanwhile, the show's writer Ed Whitmore revealed that he was "100 per cent" up for writing a third series, adding: "Absolutely. As Colin says, we are talking about that right now, about that possibility."
When would a potential third season be released?
As a third series of Manhunt has not yet been announced, there is not an official return date for the true-crime detective drama. However, we can take an informed guess at when to expect season three.
The first series of Manhunt aired in January 2019, however series two wasn't commissioned until November 2020 and only arrived on our screens just under a year later in September 2021.
While over two years went by before Manhunt returned for series two, hopefully COVID-19 was a contributing factor in the long delay and so we can expect to see series three a lot sooner than 2023.
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Who could star in a potential Manhunt season 3?
It wouldn't be Manhunt without Colin Sutton, the detective whose life and career was the inspiration behind the drama, and so, if the series returns, Martin Clunes will almost certainly be leading the cast once again.
Similarly, Claudie Blakley is likely to reprise her role as Colin's wife Louise, while Stephen Wight, who has played Detective Constable Clive Grace in both seasons one and two, could be back for series three.
As for the rest of the cast, we're likely to see a new line-up of actors join the drama for series three, which will most likely focus on a brand new case of Colin Sutton's – so stay tuned for any announcements!
What would a potential third season be about?
If Martin Clunes does return for another Manhunt series, it is likely to tackle a completely new case of Sutton's – so it's somewhat difficult to tell what season three will cover.
The first series saw Sutton investigate the murder of Amélie Delagrange, which in turn led to tracking down the killer of Marsha McDonnell and Milly Dowler, while season two looked at his pursuit of serial rapist Delroy Grant.
With both series based on true stories involving real-life detective Colin Sutton, ITV's third will almost certainly be based on another actual case.
Manhunt series one and two are available to stream on ITVHub. Looking for something to watch tonight? Check out our TV Guide. Visit our Drama hub for all the latest news.
