Patience future revealed following major cast departure from Channel 4 drama
More than 4 million tuned in to the season 2 premiere, so it's no surprise that the broadcaster wants more!
Channel 4 has confirmed the future of its breakout detective drama Patience, which will return for a third season after another impressive run.
Ella Maisy Purvis leads the cast as Patience Evans, an autistic criminologist who once worked solely in the backrooms of York Police's records office.
That all changed when her sharp analytical skills were noticed by DI Bea Metcalf (Laura Fraser), who proceeded to fold her into active investigations.
This exciting new calling was threatened by DI Metcalf's resignation and the hiring of DI Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes), who was initially far colder towards Patience and disagreed with the privileged access she had been granted to earlier crime scenes.
Over the last eight episodes, we've seen their relationship gradually improve, with season 3 promised to pick up with Patience and DI Monroe as "close colleagues... even friends".
The synopsis, courtesy of Channel 4, teases: "Family bonds bring a new horizon for Patience, as she navigates building a relationship with her estranged half-sister Joy, while also investigating her father's death.
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"Was the car crash that killed him really an accident or is there more to the case than meets the eye?"
The next episodes will also find Patience "taking a new step in her romantic life," with actor Tom Lewis (love interest Elliot Scott) confirmed to be reprising his role.
There won't be another surprise exit either, as Hynes is also listed in the Patience cast for season 3, alongside core characters Nathan Welsh (Jake), Mark Benton (Calvin), Adrian Rawlins (Douglas), Ali Ariaie (Will) and Liza Sadovy (Dr Parsons).
And in an added treat for fans, Patience season 3 will be the longest yet, consisting of 10 episodes. (The first and second seasons were comprised of six and eight episodes respectively.)
Polly Scates, Head of Acquisitions at Channel 4, commented: "We're delighted to welcome Patience back to Channel 4 for its third series. The show has really captured the hearts of our viewers, and there's genuine excitement to see where Patience's investigations take us next in the City of York."
Jo McGrath, Chief Creative Officer at Eagle Eye Drama, added: "Audiences across the world have taken Patience to their hearts and it's wonderful to see the series performing so strongly in the UK, becoming the 8th most streamed show across all platforms midway through its run.
"This is testament to the quality of our outstanding cast, led by Ella Maisy Purvis and production team, led by director Maarten Moerkerke. Happily, they will all be returning to deliver another gripping extended series of ten episodes."
Although Patience is set in York, where most of its outdoor scenes are filmed, production also takes place in Belgium, where interiors are filmed in a nod to French/Belgian drama Astrid et Raphaëlle, on which it is based.
Patience is available to stream on Channel 4.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
