The Responder season 2: Release date speculation, cast and latest news

The former Sherlock star was praised by critics and audiences alike for the depth of his portrayal of Liverpool-based response policeman Chris Carson – complete with a very convincing Scouse accent.

Now, the BBC has confirmed in Radio Times magazine that The Responder will be back for a second season.

Martin Freeman will reprise his role as Carson in the new run of episodes.

So, what do we know about the show's return? Here is everything we know so far about The Responder season 2.

The Responder season 2 release date speculation

The Responder season 2 has been confirmed for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The series has not yet begun production as it has only just been renewed, so we likely won't see the series until 2023 at the earliest.

Ahead of the series' premiere, Freeman and writer Tony Schumacher seemed enthusiastic about the idea of follow-up seasons.

"I set out to write Fawlty Towers – just get out while the going’s good and just go," said Schumacher. "And yet we ended up with a story that naturally has stayed alive and we can take it to other places.

"And personally, I’m just excited to even think about exploring that... So if it happens, it might not, but if it did, it would be exciting just to see where we can take it."

Freeman concurred, saying that he'd "love to do it again", while co-star Warren Brown later told RadioTimes.com that there had indeed been "murmurs" of a follow-up but "nothing set in stone".

In a poll shared to Twitter after The Responder finale's terrestrial broadcast, more than two-thirds of viewers said they would like to see the show return, so there was certainly a demand for more episodes.

Who could be in a potential The Responder season 2 cast?

The only cast member confirmed to return for The Responder season 2 so far is star Martin Freeman in the role of Chris Carson.

Who could join Freeman in the new episodes?

We would also expect MyAnna Buring to reprise the role of his wife Kate, as their marriage remains in a critical position following the events of the finale.

Adelayo Adedayo would be a likely contender to return as rookie cop Rachel Hargreaves, who very nearly reported Chris for misconduct after suffering through a few night shifts with him.

She was strung along by Ray Mullen, played by Trigger Point's Warren Brown, who told RadioTimes.com that he'd "love to go back" if The Responder is renewed for a second season.

There would be scope to bring back Casey and Marco, played by Emily Fairn and Josh Finan respectively, but there is no guarantee Schumacher would choose to do so as it could easily be argued that their character arcs are complete.

The same can be said for other supporting figures from the first season including Diane (Christine Tremarco) and Jodie (Faye McKeever), both of whom distance themselves from Chris after he satisfies their demands.

Rita Tushingham could potentially return as the troubled cop's mother, June, although notably she was depicted as terminally ill in the first season, with precious little time remaining.

What would the plot be if The Responder returns?

The Responder wraps up its main storyline surprisingly neatly in just five episodes, leading us to assume that the second season would tackle a largely new story with Chris Carson at the centre.

That said, there are a couple of threads that could be brought forward, including Rachel's ongoing disapproval of the questionable tactics Chris uses to get results.

Meanwhile, there's the matter of his bitter rival Ray Mullen, whose devious attempt to bring down Chris backfired spectacularly, ultimately costing him his family and career.

We last see the character seeming like a shell of himself, but it's debatable whether the look on his face is one of genuine remorse or a thirst for revenge.

Is there a The Responder season 2 trailer?

Slow down! The Responder has only just been renewed for a second season on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

This means the series has yet to enter production and, as such, does not currently have any new footage to share.

Don't worry, we will be sure to update this page as soon as we know more.

The Responder is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

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