Defending the Guilty on BBC Two: air date, cast and more | Radio Times

When is Defending the Guilty on TV?

Following a pilot which aired in 2018, the six-part series began on Tuesday 17th September at 10pm on BBC2, with new episodes weekly. The whole series is available on BBC iPlayer.

Will there be a second series of Defending the Guilty?

Yes! Straight after the series finale, BBC2 revealed it had already commissioned a second series.

Writer Kieron Quirke said: "I’m overjoyed to be diving back into the world of 60 Bedford Row Chambers - peopled by one of the best ensemble casts on TV. Having superlative actors and the backing of the classiest production team in TV comedy, really does make script-writing a tolerable thing."

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What is Defending the Guilty about?

There's long been a glut of legal dramas, all extolling the virtues of super-serious, worthy barristers carrying the weight of the world on their backs. But BBC2's new comedy sitcom, created by Kieron Quirke, is here to dismantle that argument.

Will Packham is an idealistic pupil barrister who's struggling to come to terms with the cut-throat reality of his future profession — not to mention the fact that the chamber’s trainee barristers are all competing for one permanent spot.

At his side is his mentor, the worldly-wise pupilmaster Caroline, who's here to teach Will that barristers aren't there to serve justice — they're there to win...

Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two, says: “We only went along for a read through and ended up ordering a whole series! Such incisive writing, cutting humour and a brilliantly rendered world. I am delighted we are bringing Defending The Guilty to the audience on Two.”

Who is in the cast for Defending the Guilty?

Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd) plays the cynical barrister Caroline, while her character's pupil, Will Packham, is played by Will Sharpe (Flowers).

Also joining the cast are Gwyneth Keyworth (Black Mirror) as Danielle, Prasanna Puwanarajah (Doctor Foster, Patrick Melrose) as Ashley and Hugh Coles as Liam.

Is there a trailer for Defending the Guilty?

Yes, you can watch it below.