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New pictures offer first look at This City Is Ours series two ahead of BBC return

New pictures offer first look at This City Is Ours series two ahead of BBC return

August 13, 2026
Last Updated August 13, 2026
By Editor

The BBC has released a new set of first-look pictures from series two of This City Is Ours, giving fans another glimpse at the return of the hit Liverpool crime drama.

The award-winning series, created and written by Stephen Butchard and produced by Left Bank Pictures, will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn, with filming once again taking place across the Liverpool City Region as well as in Spain.

New pictures offer first look at This City Is Ours series two ahead of BBC return — *Rachel (Laura Aikman) (Image: BBC/Left Bank Pictures/ James Stack)*

The newly released images show James Nelson-Joyce returning as Michael Kavanagh, alongside Hannah Onslow as his partner Diana Williams, as the story prepares to pick up following the dramatic events of series one.

Also returning are Liverpool actor Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan, Mike Noble as Banksey, Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan, Laura Aikman as Rachel Duffy, Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy, Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Cheryl Crawford, Darci Shaw as Melissa Sullivan, Adam Abbou as Freddie and Bobby Schofield as Bonehead.

*Felipe (Álvaro Morte) (Image: BBC/Left Bank Pictures/ James Stack)*

New faces join This City Is Ours

The latest pictures also give viewers a first proper look at two major additions to the cast.

Shaun Evans, known for his leading role in Endeavour, joins series two as Ozzie Thompson, an old-school gangster from Ronnie Phelan’s era who has recently been released from prison.

*Ozzie (Shaun Evans) (Image: BBC/Left Bank Pictures/ James Stack)*

He will be joined by Money Heist star Álvaro Morte, who plays Felipe Guzman, a member of the Colombian cartel and the younger brother of Ricardo Guzman, whose death formed a major part of the conclusion to the first series.

Their arrival looks set to add even more pressure to an already fractured criminal organisation when the drama returns.

What will happen in series two?

Series two will pick up almost immediately from where viewers were left.

Michael and Diana have barely made it to Spain before they find themselves pulled back into the criminal world and forced to answer questions surrounding Ricardo’s death.

Back in Liverpool, tensions remain high between the surviving members of the gang, while the arrival of Ozzie Thompson creates another potential problem as he seeks compensation from the organisation following his release from prison.

*Melissa (Darci Shaw) (Image: BBC/Left Bank Pictures/James Stack)*

*Freddie (Adam Abbou) (Image: BBC/Left Bank Pictures/James Stack)*

The new series will once again consist of eight hour-long episodes, with Stephen Butchard returning as creator and lead writer.

Saul Dibb returns as lead director alongside John Hayes, with Chris Baugh also directing episodes of the new series.

Liverpool drama proved a huge hit

The first series launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in March 2025 and went on to become a major success for the broadcaster.

According to Liverpool Film Office, the series has attracted an average audience of 6.1 million viewers, while the opening episode has now been watched by more than 8.2 million people. The drama also received BAFTA Television Award nominations for Best Drama and Leading Actor for James Nelson-Joyce.

Liverpool played a major role throughout the first series, and the city and wider region will once again provide the backdrop for much of the action in series two.

The latest images follow the first-look teaser released earlier this summer, which offered an early glimpse at Michael’s return and hinted at the trouble awaiting the characters.

This City Is Ours series two will arrive on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn, with an exact launch date still to be announced. Series one is currently available to watch in full on BBC iPlayer.