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

Over a year since tense mystery drama The Tourist debuted on BBC One, we now finally have some more information about what we can expect from the show's already confirmed second season.

It seems that we're in for a very different follow-up, as while Jamie Dornan will be back as The Man, revealed at the end of the season to be called Elliot, and Danielle Macdonald will be back as Helen, the new season will no longer take place in the Australian outback.

Screenwriters Jack and Harry Williams will once again be penning the scripts, and the new season will be filmed in Ireland, with Elliot and Helen returning to Elliot's home country so he can reconnect with his roots.

Speaking to Radio Times magazine about season 1 last year, the BBC's Chief Content Office Charlotte Moore pointed out the impressive viewing figures.

"In its first 30 days, 12 million people watched The Tourist – that’s twice as big as the largest show, Stay Close, on Netflix," she said. "The power that the BBC has to reach millions of people is far greater than we perhaps realise."

But what else do we currently know about The Tourist season 2? Read on for everything we know so far.

Will The Tourist be back for a second season?

The BBC has officially announced The Tourist will return for season 2, with the new season set to start shooting in April 2022. We can't wait!

Considering the drama left viewers on a cliffhanger with the first season's finale, fans have been clamouring for The Man – who we found out was called Elliot – to return.

Jamie Dornan previously told RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview that while they originally planned for the show to be a one-off, the demand was definitely there for a follow-up.

"I guess it's a little bit open-ended with the end, people still have questions," he said. "Obviously we had good plans for it, wanted it, but the response to it, as you know, has been insane and the amount of people [who have] watched it, and the love for it is very real.

"I saw something the other day that they said that there's talk of... they'd be looking into how they could do a second series of it if there is a want, and it seems there is a want," he added.

"So who knows, the plan was only ever to play The Man once, but we'll see."

Meanwhile, The Tourist creators Harry and Jack Williams told RadioTimes.com before the first season aired that they were talking about possible ideas for a second season.

"I would love to make this show again with these people," Harry said. "I'm not entirely sure it's possible. I love the tone, I love the world. It's been our lives for three years and we've been very, very involved with it, more so than any other show."

His brother Jack added: "We are talking about how we could return to this world, aren't we?" with Harry replying: "Yeah, this world and this tone. I feel like we're not done with that. In terms of the story, we'll see how it goes if people like it."

The Tourist season 2 release date speculation

Sadly, a release date for The Tourist season 2 is yet to be announced.

However, we do now know that the second season will start shooting in April 2023, meaning it most likely won't arrive until the end of 2023 at the earliest, or more likely 2024.

We'll keep this page updated as and when we get any further information regarding the new season's release date.

What will happen in The Tourist season 2?

We now know that season 2 will take on a very different narrative than season 1, following Elliot and Constable Helen Chambers as they travel to Ireland together one year after their adventure in the Outback.

The new season will be filmed in Dublin, Ireland, and will see amnesiac Elliot trying to rediscover his roots. They will soon however find themselves dragged into the dangerous whirlwind of his past life, with Elliot fighting his own demons and Helen finding herself left to pick up the pieces of a larger mystery. The new season will force them both to confront foes, old and new.

The series' creators Harry and Jack Williams said: "The Tourist was unlike anything we’d written before and we’re hugely grateful for the incredible response to series 1.

"It’s been an exciting journey getting stuck into that world again with the quirky characters that were so loved, and seeing where we could take them next, whilst continuing to deliver a tonally unique and off-beat drama."

Which of The Tourist cast could return for a second season?

So far we only know two stars from The Tourist season 1 who are confirmed to return - Jamie Dornan as Elliot and Danielle Macdonald as Constable Helen Chambers.

There could also potentially be a return for Damon Herriman as DI Lachlan Rogers, who was jailed for murdering Rodney Lammon, although given the new setting for season 2 this seems unlikely.

Meanwhile, we know that Shalom Brune-Franklin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Alex Dimitriades won't be back as their characters died in season one.

The Tourist season 1 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features.

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