The Outlaws season 3 release date, trailer and latest news
The gang is back in action.
The Outlaws is back! After a long period off our screens, Bristol's finest community service cohort are jumping into another high stakes misadventure, with several dangerous foes to contend with.
This time, the gang are serving their time on a public farm in the south-west city, but the peaceful work is interrupted by a frantic Rani (Rhianne Barreto), who reveals she has the corpse of an old associate in her car.
Of the dark twist, Merchant explained: "My thought was, if you're doing a third series and there's a thriller aspect, show up with a dead body. If there's not a dead body showing up, then I'm not watching.
"So that was the jumping off point. But we didn't know whose dead body it would be or why it would be in the series. So there were a lot of weeks spent working out why is it there and what they do with it."
He added: "And partly, the fun [was] people that aren't actual criminals having to dispose of a dead body... That idea of the sort of suburban, ordinary people having to deal with something as major as burying a corpse was the jumping off point."
Read on for everything you need to know about The Outlaws season 3.
The Outlaws season 3 release date
The Outlaws season 3 premieres at 9pm on BBC One tonight, Thursday 30th May 2024. Alternatively, you can stream all episodes right now on BBC iPlayer.
Speaking about the show's return, Merchant said that while he initially believed in ending shows "early" (see The Office UK and Extras), he has now discovered the "thrill" of returning multiple times and pushing characters in new directions.
That said, he was unsure whether there would be any more The Outlaws after season 3, telling fans he has given himself the "option" of ending things here, but would "never say never" to the prospect of another run.
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The Outlaws season 3 cast: New and returning
Fans will be pleased to hear that most of The Outlaws cast is returning for this (possibly) final chapter in the series, led by Rhianne Barreto and Gamba Cole as estranged lovers Rani and Ben – often described as the "heart" of the show.
The ensemble cast also includes creator Stephen Merchant as hapless lawyer Greg and Eleanor Tomlinson as his unlikely friend Lady Gabby, a socialite and influencer who is recovering from addiction.
Clare Perkins will be back as tireless activist Myrna, with Patrick Robinson (Granite Harbour) joining the cast as her love interest, Sean, while Darren Boyd's John will once again act as her comedic foil.
Baby Reindeer breakout star Jessica Gunning returns as aspiring police officer Diane, while Grace Calder (Too Close) will be reprising the role of her reluctant idol, DS Lucy Haines.
The familiar members of The Outlaws cast also include Claes Bang as drug boss The Dean, Charles Babalola as former dealer Christian, Kojo Kamara as Haines's partner DS Selforth and Richard E Grant as Gabby's cold father, the Earl of Gloucestershire.
Another new addition in season 3 is Harry Trevaldwyn (Ten Percent) as Diane's admiring assistant, Stan.
Alas, Hollywood legend Christopher Walken will have a significantly reduced role in this season – consisting of one special appearance – as the SAG strike and his busy schedule necessitated stepping back.
When we last saw Walken's suave hustler Frank, he was walking away from his Bristol family at the request of his daughter, Margaret (Dolly Wells), having lied to his grandson that this was his choice.
The Outlaws season 3 plot: What is it about?
The previous chapter memorably ended with Rani (Rhianne Barreto) breaking the heart of her boyfriend, Ben (Gamba Cole), by running out on him in Weston-super-Mare.
Elsewhere, Greg impulsively quit his job and took the plunge with a date, while Gabby (Eleanor Tomlinson) went to a support group in an effort to get clean from drugs. Fans will no doubt be intrigued to see where the show could take them next.
Season 3 picks up sometime later, with the gang close to finishing their community service obligations when Rani suddenly returns out of the blue – with a corpse in her car to dispose of.
It's unclear how exactly it got there and the group starts to suspect their increasingly erratic friend, but she's not the only one they need to worry about – The Dean (Claes Bang) is plotting his revenge for their role in his arrest.
The Outlaws season 3 trailer
The BBC has a released a short, 30-second teaser for the latest season of The Outlaws. Watch now:
Alternatively, check out this longer look at the new episodes from Prime Video, the show's international broadcaster. Watch here:
The Outlaws seasons 1-3 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
