BBC Blue Lights Series 2 release date as police drama returns with major change

The BBC police drama Blue Lights is returning to our screens this week and there will be one big change from the first series

The BBC police drama Blue Lights is set to make a return to our screens this week. The series follows the journey of three new response officers in the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland).

In the debut series, we witnessed lead character Grace Ellis, portrayed by Sian Brooke, embark on a fresh career path as a police officer after leaving her social worker role. She was accompanied in the force by fellow rookies Annie Conlon, played by Katherine Devlin, and Tommy Foster, played by Nathan Braniff.

Their journey continues when Blue Lights makes a comeback this week and, apart from the noticeable absence of Richard Dormer's Constable Gerry Cliff who exited the storyline in the previous series, there will be another significant change. Series 2 will leap forward by an entire year from the conclusion of Series 1, with the creators of the show giving their explanations for this.

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Blue Lights' co-creators, co-writers, co-directors and executive producers Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson said the time jump is necessary in progressing the characters to a new place. Adam said: "The whole creative team made a conscious decision to move the story a year on. Part of the reason for that is that if we had picked it up right away then every story would have been consumed by Gerry and we needed the actors to go on different journeys. In a lot of ways he still lives on in many of our characters but by moving the story on a year it allows us to look at different parts of the police and parts of the city.

"We meet our recruits a year on but have they retained that optimism and hope that we saw when they first joined the force? If not, psychologically how does that affect them and the people around them? How do you continue to put yourself in danger if you've lost the belief that you can really change the world and I think that defines the character developments in Blue Lights.

"Stylistically, in series two we wanted to evolve and show more of Belfast and I don't just mean having more shots of officers in Belfast but standalone shots of the city that mean something to the storyline. We really worked hard to find the tapestry and the blanket imagery that would lead into our worlds and people and that led to it feeling more visceral and real. We wanted to show more of this place that we love but that is still in many ways troubled."

Declan added: "Series one was about what it takes to do the job and series two is about what the job takes from you. It's about the relentless, grinding daily pressure of doing that job and going out on those shifts, day after day.

"We see our recruits are still newish to the job but they've had to grow up fast and had to learn fast. The other difference between the first and second series is that in series one they were a small section against the world but now we see there is a danger within the team in a couple of characters who join and who aren't a good influence. It’s about what happens when this group is contaminated from outside and the conflict, pressure and danger that engenders."

He added: "Coming back for series two was like coming back to meet old friends and then devising new ways to put your old friends through torture. Series two is bigger, bolder and more dramatic. Series one was about our recruits having their feet held in the fire and in series two they are firmly in the fire. The city is under siege with drugs and petty crime and they can't work out what's going on nor do they have the resources to deal with it."

When can you watch Blue Lights series 2?

Blue Lights' second series starts on BBC1 at 9pm on Monday, April 15, with episodes rolling out weekly. For those eager to binge or catch up at their leisure, the entire six-episode series will drop on BBC iPlayer from 6am on the same day.