Blue Lights season 3 is in the works, which is great news for the millions of viewers desperate to return to the streets of Belfast!
The first series of the BBC1 cop show proved a hit when it launched in 2023 and the second received more critical acclaim when it aired the following Spring.
Indeed the Beeb had so much faith in writers Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, they renewed the show for a third and fourth season — before the second had even aired!
"We're thrilled that the BBC is committing to Blue Lights in this way," said Blue Lights' creators Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson. "From the beginning, we wanted to write a show that had scale and ambition in its storytelling, and this decision gives us everything we need to do that.
"Thanks to the BBC, to Two Cities/STV and Gallagher Films, and to our brilliant cast and crew. But most of all thanks to our audience who have responded so powerfully to the show. Time for us to get to work!"
Here's everything we know about Blue Lights season 3
(THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BLUE LIGHTS SEASON 1 & 2)
Blue Lights season 3 release date
If the show follows the same schedule it's been on thus far, then Blue Lights season 3 should be hitting BBC1 and the iPlayer in Spring 2025.
However maintaining such a production pace might be difficult and at a press event to launch the second series, creators Adam Paterson and Declan Lawn hinted that it might take 'two or three years' for the next two seasons to come out. That would mean a two year gap before season 3 arrives — or between season 3 and 4.
Lawn went on to explain that the early renewal of the show by the BBC was great news, but with two more seasons to come, they might consider longer-running plot arcs.
"It’s a great vote of confidence in the whole team and everyone involved," he explained. "Creatively though, for us as writers, it gives us a great deal of certainty, and it means we can plan the story arcs now over 12 episodes instead of six, which we're really excited about.
"It's kind of like you're doing a painting on a small page and then someone says, ‘Here's a big canvas’. So it feels creatively very, very exciting."
Blue Lights plot
There's no news yet on what might be going on for the PSNI team in the third series of this one, but with so much happening at the end of the second series there are plenty of possibilities in the air.
After concentrating on a Republican crime family in the first series and the Loyalist side of the community in the second, there's no knowing where Patterson and Lawn could take us next. Although given their ambition for the show, a more complex tale that weaves together stories from both sides of Belfast's historical divide could be on the cards.
We were all delighted to see Stevie (Martin McCann) and Grace (Sian Brooke) finally getting together in the final episode of season 2 and they may well have moved in together by the time we return to Belfast. However dating a fellow member of the team comes with terrible risks, as Sandra Cliff (Andi Osho) found out in heartbreaking fashion at the end of the first season... Let's hope neither Stevie nor Grace meet the same fate as poor Gerry.
If Stevie does move in with Grace then Annie (Katherine Devlin) would probably have to move out. But will we be seeing anymore of Shane Bradley (Frank Blake), who caused a stir when he arrived at Blackthorn as a new recruit last time out.
Moreover, will DS Murray Canning (Desmond Eastwood) still be a part of the picture after his shady deal with drug boss Lee Thompson was uncovered at the end of the last series? Will former PSNI constable and practicing solicitor Jen Robinson (Hannah McClean) be back for more or has her story been told?
Fortunately it looks like Sandra is here to stay, after telling her colleagues she's decided against returning to London - hurrah - and Constable Tommy seems happy enough after finding romance with new recruit from Derry, Aisling (Dearbháile McKinney).
Blue Lights season 3 cast
We're confident all of the main cast will return for Blue Lights season 3, with Sian Brooke telling Radiotimes.com the third season would be a 'corker' earlier this year.
"I know it's going to be very exciting," she said. "I do know that — and it's going to be a corker!"
However, whether supporting characters such as Grace's son Cal — who was at University in England during the second season — or former PSNI Constable Jen Robinson will return isn't confirmed. We hope they do though!
Here's a list of all the cast who could appear...
- Siân Brooke as Grace Ellis
- Katherine Devlin as Annie Conlon
- Nathan Braniff as Tommy Foster
- Martin McCann as Stevie Neil
- Jonathan Harden as David Johnson
- Matthew Carver as Cal Ellis
- Joanne Crawford as Helen McNally
- Hannah McClean as Jen Robinson
- Andrea Irvine as Nicola Robinson
- Andi Osho as Sandra Cliff
- Desmond Eastwood as Murray Canning
- Paddy Jenkins as Happy Kelly
- Dearbháile McKinney as Aisling
- Frank Blake as Shane Bradley
Blue Lights season 3 trailer
With filming yet to begin, there's no trailer available for this one yet. We'll be sure to keep you updated as soon as one lands though!
