Acorn TV and 5 announced today the second season renewal of the critically-acclaimed detective drama, Inspector Ellis.
Inspector Ellis — Photo courtesy of Acorn TV
 

The first season of Inspector Ellis was quite the rave, impressing both critics and viewers alike. So, despite much doom and gloom in the television production sector these day, the fan-favorite detective drama has been renewed for a second season by Acorn TV and 5.

Returning in the titular lead role is three-time Olivier Award winner Sharon D Clarke (Showtrial, Lost Boys & Fairies, Rocketman), who has garnered much praise for her portrayal of DCI Ellis, a tenacious detective fighting a system rife with flaws. Also reprising his role is Andrew Gower (The Winter King, Carnival Row, Outlander) as DS Harper, Ellis’s right-hand man.

Said Sharon D Clarke:

“I am thrilled to return as DCI Ellis. The response to the first series was overwhelming, and I am excited to continue this journey with such a talented team, especially with the wonderful Andrew Gower by my side. Ellis is a character who resonates deeply, and I can’t wait for audiences to see what we have in store for her and Harper in series two.”

In the series, Ellis and Harper are parachuted into failing investigations across the north of England. Each episode sees Ellis arrive at a different police station, where she must win over the local detectives and immerse herself in the cases she and Harper have come to solve. As a Black female cop, Ellis is used to being dismissed and overlooked, but remains focused on her work as a first-class murder detective, fueled by a determination for justice and a deep well of compassion for those who need it.

Season 2 will follow the same structure as Season 1, with three feature-length episodes.

Created by Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre with Paul Logue (Shetland, Vera), the second season will be written by Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre, Oliver Frampton (Grantchester), and Maria Ward (Van der Valk). Catherine Mackin, Managing Director of Acorn Media Enterprises (AME), commissioned the series for Acorn TV and executive produces alongside Bea Tammer, AME’s Director of Development. The second season was ordered for 5 by Sebastian Cardwell, Head of Drama, Deputy Chief Content Officer, Paramount UK, and Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Scripted, 5. Both also serve as executive producers alonside Michele Buck and Lucy Raffety for Company Pictures, with producers Martin Mahon and Ana Ture.

All3Media International, co-producer and global partner on Inspector Ellis, has revealed that four continents have acquired the series’ first season — with partners in Europe, Australia, and Asia joining Acorn TV in North America, Australia, and New Zealand and 5 in the UK. In Europe, the series will air in Germany and German-speaking territories on ZDF, Flemish Belgium on VRT, Sweden on SVT, and the Netherlands on NPO, with BBC Studios having licensed the series in the Balkans and Central Eastern Europe. Season 1 of Inspector Ellis will air in Australia on Nine Network, in a second window deal after Acorn TV’s premiere in the region, and the show launches this month on Mystery Channel in Japan.

A production of Company Pictures, in association with All3Media International and Northern Ireland Screen, Inspector Ellis: Season 2 will begin filming this month in the UK and will air on Acorn TV and 5 in 2026. Stay tuned for updates.