BBC has confirmed that four of its biggest dramas that have aired over the last year are returning. The Tourist, The Responder, Vigil and Time are all set to make a comeback with a second series after each drama was a hit with viewers.
The Tourist, which aired on January 1 this year, is the broadcaster's highest-rated drama of 2022 so far, with a huge 12 million viewers. The six-part thriller was created by Jack and Harry Williams, the brains behind the BBC's other hit dramas Baptiste and The Missing, and followed a British man who finds himself in the Australian outback with no idea who he is.
The second biggest new drama of 2022 so far is The Responder, which had almost 10 million views across 30-days. The crime drama starring Martin Freeman was written by an ex-police officer. Set and filmed in Liverpool, the series follows urgent police officer Chris who works five tough night shifts in a row.
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Released in August 2021, Vigil was the UK’s most-watched new drama since the launch of Bodyguard in 2018. With the first episode attracting an audience of more than 13 million views across 30-days, the six-part thriller series was a hit with viewers. It centred around Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva, who has been tasked with investigating the death of a crew member who was found dead on board the submarine.
The intense prison-based drama Time was one of 2021’s highest performing new dramas with nearly 12 million viewers in the first month. Sean Bean played Mark Cobden, a teacher, husband and father, who is handed a four year sentence after killing an innocent man in an accident.
Liverpool actor played Stephen Graham plays prison officer Eric McNally, who begins to commit crimes in order to protect their son from violence while behind bars. The second series will welcome a new cast and be set in an all-female prison.
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer says: “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.”
BBC has not yet released a return date for the second series of these programmes. Series one of all four dramas are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
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