Karen Pirie season 2: Release date, plot and latest news

But what else do we know about season 2 thus far? What is it about, who else from the cast is back for season 2 and who is joining fresh in connection with the new mystery?

Read on for everything you need to know about Karen Pirie season 2.

When will Karen Pirie season 2 air on ITV?

Karen Pirie season 2 will start airing on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 20th July. All episodes will be available on ITVX from that date, while episode 1 will air at 8pm on ITV1.

This means it is arriving almost three years after season 1 debuted, with Emer Kenny having explained that the delay was partly due to her having a baby in 2023.

Season 2 was first announced on Tuesday 21st February 2023, with it to be based on the second book in Val McDermid's series A Darker Domain. Filming began on season 2 in Scotland in early 2024.

Lauren Lyle is of course back to star, and when it was first announced she said of the new season: "I'm thrilled that we will continue the life of our fearless young detective Karen Pirie, and of course, her bumbag. I've known for a while how well the show has gone down behind the scenes so it's been a joy to see audiences want more.

"It's a creative honour to work alongside Emer Kenny with the backbone of Val McDermid's story. Season 1 was incredibly exciting building an original character we hadn't seen before. I look forward to getting the gang back together and finally being able to answer the question: 'Please say there will be a season 2?' with an 'Oh yes.'"

What will Karen Pirie season 2 be about?

Karen Pirie season 2 will adapt the second novel in Val McDermid's book series, which is titled A Darker Domain.

The official synopsis says: "After her bittersweet success in series one, Karen has been promoted to Detective Inspector and seemingly given the authority she has long been fighting for.

"Just as she’s getting into the swing of her powerful new role, she is assigned an infamous unsolved case that will put her under intense scrutiny; from her boss, from the media, and ultimately, from sinister forces that would rather the past stayed in the past.

"The 1984 case of Catriona and Adam Grant has confounded investigators and intrigued the public like no other. Catriona, the charming young heiress to a vast oil fortune, and her two-year-old son Adam, were brutally kidnapped at gunpoint outside a fish and chip shop in Fife.

"The ransom notes that followed stirred up an uncontrollable press storm, but when the culprits fell silent, the police faltered, and Catriona and Adam were never seen again.

"Now, a man’s body has been discovered, with indisputable links to the original kidnap. With the first piece of evidence in decades, Karen must assemble an unbeatable team alongside her sincere and lovable sidekick DC Jason ‘Mint’ Murray (Chris Jenks) and the brilliant – but romantically complicated – DS Phil Parhatka (Zach Wyatt).

"With the international renown of the kidnap and the constant pressure from Catriona’s father, Sir Broderick Grant (James Cosmo), the team take on the biggest challenge of their careers to date. As Karen delves deeper into what happened in the autumn of 1984, political grudges and painful secrets reveal themselves, and it soon becomes clear… the past is far from dead."

Screenwriter Kenny previously suggested the series might not follow the order of the novels, telling RadioTimes.com that while she had been "looking at A Darker Domain", she had also actually "been looking at a couple" of McDermid's other books, too.

She continued: "You really want to make sure what you're doing feels like you should be making it now, that you're not just making it because it's the next book in the series. You're working out why this should be on TV in 2023 or 2024, whenever it will come out – so yeah we’ve been looking at them and talking about what will work."

It's clear that, after looking into it, Kenny decided A Darker Domain was the best way to take the series after all.

Karen Pirie cast: Who is back for season 2?

Lauren Lyle, Chris Jenks and Zach Wyatt are amongst the stars returning for season 2, while they are joined by a whole host of newcomers related to the season 2 case.

This includes James Cosmo, Frances Tomelty and John Michie, while Saskia Ashdown plays a new member of Karen's team, DC Isla Stark.

Previously, Lyle said she would have "signed off season 2 straight away" if she could have, adding: "We didn’t want to leave the set!"

She said: "I think there’s a lot more to be done, the books are phenomenal. The next one is partially set in Tuscany, so why would we not want to do that?! But yes, she’s my favourite character I’ve ever played and the one I’ve felt most trusted with. I’ve had a lot of creative control, which is just so cool. I definitely feel we could go again if we are permitted."

Here's a full list of the confirmed cast for Karen Pirie season 2:

• Lauren Lyle as DS Karen Pirie
• Chris Jenks as DC Jason Murray
• Zach Wyatt as DS Phil Parhatka
• Steve John Shepherd as DI Simon Lees
• Emer Kenny as River Wilde
• Rakhee Thakrar as Bel Richmond
• Saskia Ashdown as DC Isla Stark
• James Cosmo Brodie Grant
• Frances Tomelty as Mary Grant
• John Michie as Fergus Sinclair
• Julia Brown as Cat Grant
• Mark Rowley as Mick Prentice
• Kat Ronney as Bonnie
• Conor Berry as Andy
• Stuart Campbell as Kevin
• Jamie Michie as Young Brodie Grant
• Madeleine Worrall as Young Mary Grant
• Jack Stewart as Young Fergus Sinclair
• Thoren Ferguson as DI Anderson
• Helen Katamba as DC Laurel Blair
• James Fleet as TBC
• Tom Mannion as TBC
• Tommaso Basili as Gabriel Porteous

Karen Pirie season 2 trailer

You can watch the trailer for Karen Pirie season 2 right here now.

Karen Pirie season 2 will air from Sunday 20th July 2025 on ITV1 and ITVX.

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