Inspector Ellis will return to fight criminals and the system for a second time.
Acorn TV and UK network 5 have ordered Season 2 of the show, which follows Olivier Award winner Sharon D. Clarke as the titular detective chief inspector working cases alongside her right-hand man, DS Harper (Andrew Gower), operating in a system rife with flaws.
Once again, the plot will see the pair parachuted into failing investigations across the northeast of England. Season will comprise three two-hour episodes and filming is set to begin this month ahead of a 2026 launch on AMC Networks’ Acorn TV in North America, Australia and New Zealand. Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre, who co-created the Company Pictures show with Paul Logue, will write the first episode, with Oliver Frampton writing Ep 2 and Maria Ward for Ep 3.
“I am thrilled to return as DCI Ellis,” said Clarke. “The response to the first season 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 season two.”
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Clarke was nominated for Best Actress at the BAFTA TV Awards over the weekend for her role in Mr Loverman, but lost out to Marisa Abela, who won for Industry.
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. Sebastian Cardwell, Head of Drama and Deputy Chief Content Officer for Paramount UK, ordered the show for 5 alongside and Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Scripted, at the network. Both also serve as executive producers alongside Michele Buck and Lucy Raffety for Company Pictures, with Martin Mahon and Ana Ture the producers.
A spokesperson for Acorn TV said Inspector Ellis was “an instant fan-favourite for the Acorn TV audience and met with rave reviews from top critics for its elevated and smart storytelling brought to life by the incomparable Sharon D Clarke and Andrew Gower,” adding: “We could not be more excited to dive in on a second season of unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat cases with this dynamic pair.”
Series comes from Company, whose parent All3Media owns rights to the show. All3Media International, the sales arm of the RedBird IMI-owned production giant, has shopped Season 1 of Inspector Ellis to buyers in four continents.
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, and BBC Studios has licensed it in the Balkans and Central Eastern Europe. In Australia, Nine Network has acquired the show in a second window following Acorn TV’s local premiere, while in Asia, Japan’s Mystery Channel is also a buyer.
With a second season now commissioned, it’s fantastic to bring our clients and their audiences a new slate of compelling mysteries led by the enigmatic and brilliant DCI Ellis – a standout new addition to our distinct and celebrated detective lineup brought to life by an exceptional performance from Sharon D. Clarke,” said David Swetman, SVP Content and Commercial Strategy at All3Media International.