11 burning questions we have after Broadchurch series 3 episode 1

1. Who is the man in the red car?

As Hardy and Miller escort Trish home David Tennant’s DI exchanges a long, and some might say meaningful, stare with a man in a red car a little further down the road.

Who is he?

One of Trish’s neighbours perhaps? And what could he have to do with the case?

2. Where is Trish’s husband and why did they split up?

Trish reveals that she’s been living alone with her daughter since her marriage broke down six months ago, but where has her husband gone?

Is he still living locally or has he moved away? And could their break up be connected to what happened to Trish?

3. Why are Cath and Jim acting so odd?

Trish’s best pal and her hubby are acting quite shifty, making rushed phone calls to each other and worrying about their list of party guests.

Could the duo know more than they’re letting on? Or are they just feeling intensely guilty about what’s happened at the party they organised?

4. Why did Ed and Jim have a fight at Cath’s birthday party?

When Miller and Hardy arrive to talk about the party, Cath instantly assumes they want to talk about Ed (Lenny Henry) and Jim’s (Mark Bazeley) fight.

Why were her boss and her husband clashing at her birthday? And could it have anything to do with what transpired later that evening?

5. Those condoms…?

The box in Jim’s car contains condoms in wrappers that are the same colour as the suspected condom wrapper Ellie finds at the scene.

Surely it’s TOO obvious to link him to the attack so easily?

Perhaps the condoms indicate something else, like a potential affair Jim’s been having?

Things certainly seem tense between him and Cath, after all…

6. Where has DI Hardy been for the past three years?

The last time we saw DI Hardy he was hopping into a taxi and heading off into the sunset. We know three years have passed and we know he eventually came back to Broadchurch, but what was he doing while he was away?

Before he left he said he wanted to be somewhere near Daisy, so did he go and try to win his daughter back?

7. Why is Daisy Hardy living in Broadchurch now?

Series two saw Hardy taking tentative steps toward reconciliation with his daughter, and her mother, Tess. And as we just said, he left town with the intention of being near his daughter.

So what’s prompted Daisy to join her dad in Broadchurch after all this time? And what’s happened to her mum?

8. Why have Mark and Beth Latimer split up? Was it the book?

Mark’s series one fling with Becca and series two confession that he’d been set to leave Beth certainly had the Latimers on rocky ground, but now we know they’re definitely living apart full time, with Mark only calling around to visit from time to time.

Could Maggie’s book about Danny’s death – based on a series of interviews with Mark – have something to do with it?

He does say it was more trouble than it was worth, after all.

9. Where is Joe Miller?

He may no longer live in Broadchurch (having apparently been shipped off to Sheffield at the end of series two) but the shadow of Joe Miller still looms large.

Ellie snaps at Tom, promising she won’t let him be his father’s son, while Mark still struggles with the fact that he walked free.

Have we REALLY seen the last of him?

10. What happened to Olly? And Jocelyn?

Maggie seems to be flying solo thus far, with star reporter Olly and series two love interest Jocelyn nowhere to be seen.

We know Olly had previously been offered a role as a tabloid reporter in London, and we’re guessing his profile was raised when he opted to live-blog Joe Miller’s trial in series two. Has he finally headed for pastures new?

Meanwhile, when last we saw Jocelyn she was electing to help courtoom rival Sharon to get her son out of jail. Is she still on that mission? And is she still seeing Maggie? Here’s hoping we’ll get our answers in episode two.

11. Who found that bag of fishing twine?

Ah good old Broadchurch, always saving the best scenes with the most ominous music for last. As the police continued their search of the lake and surrounding area by torchlight, a mysterious figure pulled a farm shop bag – containing what looks like the same blue twine used to bind Trish’s hands – out of sight.

Was the attacker to blame? Or could it have been the work of an accomplice? We think it's still too early to call.