In 2021, our attention was squared focused on what would be the BBC’s most-watched new drama that year: Vigil.
Across six episodes, the thrilling crime drama set aboard a British Royal Navy submarine generated domestic viewership numbers not seen since the network’s Bodyguard.
Now, we’ve received an early preview of Vigil season 2 (first-look gallery and trailer) — check them out, along with every other detail about the forthcoming instalment, below.
Everything We Know About Vigil Season 2
Will there be a Vigil season 2?
Ahead of its nail-biting season 1 finale, Anjli Mohindra — who played medical officer Tiffany Docherty — hinted that there had been conversations about a second season in conversation with RadioTimes.
A few months later in March 2022, Vigil had officially been renewed for season 2 with production once again kicking off in Scotland (with additional principal photography in Morocco).
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, stated: “The BBC is on fire creatively and the return of four of our biggest dramas over the last year demonstrates the sheer scale and range of storytelling on the BBC.”
The other three dramas, of course, are The Tourist, The Responder, and Time.
What will the second season of Vigil be about?
While season 1’s “hook” certainly had something to do with the self-contained nature of a submarine whodunnit, a change of scenery was promised for Vigil season 2.
“We have probably told as many of the stories as we would wish to tell on a submarine,” said show creator Tom Edge.
“[But] some of the characters that we have developed as we’ve made it, they feel like characters that we’d love to burrow into. So if there’s a will to do it from everyone else, then certainly I would be up for it.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
In a brand-new investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) and Detective Sergeant Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) look to the skies as they enter the secret world of drone warfare to catch a killer. Following multiple deaths at a Scottish weapons test, Silva and Longacre are tasked with finding out the cause. Entering the closed ranks of the air force in Scotland and the Middle East, the pair face the deadly warfare of tomorrow as they fight for their own uncertain future.
Vigil season 2 consists of six hour-long episodes.
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Do we know the Vigil season 2 cast members?
In addition to Suranne Jones as DCI Amy Silva and Rose Leslie as DS Kirsten Longacre, cast members include the following:
- Gary Lewis (His Dark Materials, Granite Harbour) returning as DSU Robertson.
- Romola Garai (Becoming Elizabeth, The Hour)
- Dougray Scott (Crime, Enigma)
- Amir El-Masry (SAS Rogue Heroes, Limbo)
- David Elliot (The Liberator, Bulletproof)
- Chris Jenks (Sex Education, Karen Pirie)
- Tommy Sim’aan (The Midwich Cuckoos, Doctors)
- Oscar Salem (House of the Dragon, Des)
- Jonathan Ajayi (Noughts + Crosses)
- and Hiba Medina in her first major TV debut
All will reportedly play key roles across all six brand-new episodes.
When is the Vigil season 2 release date?
In September 2023, the BBC confirmed the Vigil season 2 release date will fall sometime “later this year.”
It has since locked in December 10th for its BBC1 and BBC iPlayer premiere; Australia’s Binge has yet to confirm a release date but we can reasonably expect either a simultaneous or next-day premiere.
Is there a Vigil season 2 trailer?
As of today, we have a first trailer.
Where can I watch Vigil in Australia?
You can catch up on the entirety of Vigil season 1 here in Australia via Binge (BBC iPlayer in the UK).
Keep an eye out on the very same platform(s) for Vigil season 2.
Vigil is created and written by Tom Edge; with episodes also penned by the likes of Maryam Hamidi, James Smythe, Ryan O’Sullivan, as well as Matilda Wnek.
Andy De Emmony (The Nest, The Last Kingdom), on the other hand, has directed this time around in place of James Strong and Isabelle Sieb.
Marcus Wilson (Doctor Who, Luther) and George Aza-Selinger have produced with Simon Heath and Jake Lushington for World Productions, Gaynor Holmes for the BBC, and Edge himself having executive produced.
Similar to the first season, Vigil season 2 has been co-produced between World Productions (Line of Duty, Bodyguard) and the BBC.
