ITV has renewed hit crime drama Unforgotten for a sixth season, it has now been confirmed.

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With a gripping season 5 finale having just aired tonight (Monday 3rd April) – and becoming available on ITVX back in February as the fifth season premiered – naturally, fans have been wondering if the series will be renewed.

Well, we needn't have had to worry because the ITV series is returning for season 6. The season 5 premiere episode alone is the most-watched programme on ITV this year, and season 5 has hit a staggering eight million viewers in total.

Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jessica James, Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khan, Martina Laird as Ebele Falade, Ian McElhinney as Lord Tony Hume, Max Rinehart as Karol Wojski and Rhys Yates as Jay Royce in Unforgotten
The cast of Unforgotten season 5. Mainstreet for ITV

The latest fifth season saw new lead Sinéad Keenan star as DCI Jessica James, stepping into the shoes left by Nicola Walker's DCI Cassie Stewart after four seasons leading the show.

Season 5 saw Keenan and fan favourite character Sunny (Sanjeev Bhaskar) come to loggerheads on a variety of occasions, with the small investigative team having to navigate new working patterns and a new boss.

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But not only that – we watched on as James had to reckon with some pretty heavy personal life issues that meant that she wasn't bringing her all to her new job.

However, together, the team were tasked with investigating a murder case from years prior after remains were found in a home in Hammersmith, London. What ensued was a tangled web of deceit, lies and twists that kept viewers guessing about the killer till the very end.

So, it's no wonder Unforgotten has been renewed once more, and even better news: Bhaskar and Keenan will both be reprising their roles as DI Sunil 'Sunny' Khan and DCI Jess James.

Although their characters most certainly didn't have the smoothest of starts with one another, those final episodes of the latest season cemented them as a great working duo once they put their reservations about each other aside. But with their own personal lives being in disarray, we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out for Sunny and Jess and their own relationships.

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And we now know that they're set for an even more exciting partnership and one we can't wait to see more of in season 6. According to ITV's announcement, "series 6 will follow DI Khan and DCI James as they investigate cold cases and unsolved crimes from the past, unravelling secrets and unearthing buried truths along the way".

The upcoming season is yet to go into production but when it does, further casting is set to be announced also. Each season follows a guest cast of characters who are somehow embroiled in the crime at the centre of each series, so we'll just have to wait and see who will be lending their talents to Unforgotten.

Each of the new six episodes will be written by Chris Lang, who most recently worked on the recent BAFTA nominated drama The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe.

Unforgotten seasons 1-5 are available to stream now on ITVX. For more news, interviews and features, visit our Drama hub or find something to watch now with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

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