DI Ray was once again put through her paces in the ITV crime drama's second season, which revolved around the murder of a high-profile criminal and the subsequent turf war that was brewing on the streets of Birmingham.

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But Ray also had her sights set on exposing the institutional racism within the force, at the forefront of which was Superintendent Ross Beardsmore, who had had it in for her from the moment he first laid eyes on the DI.

Speaking about bringing the show back for another outing, creator and writer Maya Sondhi told RadioTimes.com: "The biggest challenges were, A, how to get her back into work, because obviously how it ended was pretty final.

"So it was like, how do we get her back in where people will believe that she really wants to be there, and also how to tie in everything that's happened to her. We can't just forget that, that's part of her trauma.

"But also, the USP of the show is that it dealt with race and microaggressions and identity in the first series, so you can't just forget that, because the reason that ITV wanted it was because of those reasons.

"So it was trying to find the line between the two, so that we can still get a really good crime story that will hook people for a second series and have her back properly policing, but still dealing with her emotional trauma."

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But after six gripping episodes, how did everything play out?

Read on for a full rundown of what happened in the finale of DI Ray season 2 - but beware of spoilers.

DI Ray season 2 ending explained

Who killed Frank Chapman? And why?

Heather Forster plays Amy Chapman, standing in front of a door inside a house
Heather Forster plays Amy Chapman. ITV

Frank Chapman was killed by his granddaughter Amy.

After he had subjected her to sexual abuse for a number of years, she was terrified that he would soon turn his attention to her younger sister, as he did with the 15-year-old daughter of Lou Kirby, a former friend who was also suspected of his murder.

Lou's daughter was so traumatised by her ordeal, she took her own life.

Determined to stop him from hurting her sibling, Amy confronted Frank with a gun. She had no intention of killing him, but he then moved towards her and a struggle ensued, which is when the gun went off.

Frank's daughter Suzie was in Spain at the time, but when she returned, her brother Dave, Amy's dad, convinced her that Rav Mochani was responsible, which resulted in him being kidnapped as revenge.

But Suzie eventually pieced together the truth, and she could now receive 14 years in prison for assisting an offender.

Amy was charged with attempted murder, but there's a chance she’ll receive a non-custodial sentence given her extenuating circumstances.

Who was Sajna, the girl in the photo?

DI Ray still showing two characters in a street at night
DI Ray. ITV

Sajna had been trafficked from India by Rav Mochani.

He knew that counsellor Amara Choudhry's daughter had kidney failure, and there was a high probability that she wouldn't receive a transplant in time. So in exchange for a highly-lucrative council contact, he brought Sajna into the country, and the operation was scheduled to take place at a private clinic.

Frank then discovered what Rav had done and sent him a photo of Sajna to blackmail him into bringing more children into the UK, but this time for sex trafficking.

But Sanja was spared that fate, and is now living with a foster parent while she waits for her official adoption to be processed.

What happened to Superintendent Ross Beardsmore?

Ian Puleston-Davies is Supt Ross Beardsmore in DI Ray in his police uniform, holding a cup and saucer
Ian Puleston-Davies is Supt Ross Beardsmore in DI Ray. ITV

Following her return to work, DI Ray had been compiling a dossier to build a case against the force, with a particular focus on Superintendent Ross Beardsmore, but she needed more than his coded remarks to bring him down.

Fortunately, DS Clive Bottomley held the smoking gun: an offensive police WhatsApp group, which Beardsmore was an active participant in via a burner phone, which he kept in his car.

He initially refused to cooperate with Ray and Bottomley when they confronted him in the station car park, instead marching them into DCI Kerry Henderson's office, where he "advised" her to deal with their "misconduct".

But rather than bending to his will, as she might previously have done, Henderson contacted professional standards.

Beardsmore would be arrested for malicious communications and perverting the courts of justice and was ordered to hand over his burner phone. Following that, he was suspended with immediate effect and an internal investigation was to be carried out.

Henderson, who was planning to move to another constabulary, now has her sights set on Beardsmore's job.

Elsewhere, Ray and Bottomley were back on track after she discovered that he hadn't contributed to the WhatsApp group after being randomly added.

Ray and Liam's relationship was also back on good terms after she learned that Beardsmore had twisted the DC's words of concern regarding Ray into a formal complaint.

And as for Ray's personal life, she is now dating newcomer DI Patrick Holden. Here's hoping he's not another DCI Martyn Hunter...

DI Ray season 1 ending explained

Who was the killer?

Magnus Tranter, who was involved in drug and people trafficking, was behind all of the killings. He was a "foot soldier" in a global operation, which the police were investigating with the help of Imran, who was an informant.

Following his murder, Imran's girlfriend Anjuli was also killed. She organised a meeting with Ray under the cover of darkness to share her intel, but Magnus appeared, knocking the detective unconscious and apprehending Anjuli.

He drowned her in a bath before transferring her to the canal in an effort to make it look like she had taken her own life, but that was discredited by the police.

DI Ray
Ryan McKen as Navin Kapoor. ITV ITV

As the investigation continued, the police were led to a container park where a number of Vietnamese people were discovered inside one of the crates, 15 of whom died. The driver of the lorry who transported them into the region was Karl Shaw, who was hit at speed by a car being driven by Tranter and killed outright.

The next evening, Tony was gunned down by Tranter on Ray's doorstep. He had popped over to drop off some food, with the pair sharing another kiss following their night of passion, but that would be the last time they spoke.

Prior to that harrowing moment, it had long been apparent that Ray was being monitored. Was it Tranter flying solo? Or was he being given key intel from someone close to her?

Before Tony was killed, we were given the answer.

DI Ray
Parminder Nagra as DI Ray, Jamie Bamber as DCI Martyn Hunter and Ian Puleston-Davies as Superintendent Ross Beardsmore. ITV ITV

It was Ray's fiancé DCI Martyn Hunter who was feeding Tranter information. Back in 2007, there was an armed robbery on a brothel, but the police managed to intercept it.

Martyn was involved in that operation and he used his influence to take advantage of the situation.

One of the women who had been trafficked by the group and forced into sex work was 15-year-old Sumaira Kumara. She was informed by her bosses that she had caught Martyn's eye and was told that if she had sex with him, she would be allowed to leave, with money and her passport in tow – an offer she couldn't refuse.

Sumaira complied and the evidence was captured on CCTV and used to blackmail Martyn, who claimed that he thought she was 19 – as if that defence was sufficient justification for his actions. If Martyn refused to assist the organised crime group with its business dealings, they would expose his crimes.

Rather than take accountability for his actions, Martyn chose to remain in the OCG's pocket, along with a number of other officers, who weren't named.

When Ray discovered Martyn's involvement, she drummed up a ploy to bring both him and Tranter to justice.

DI Ray
Parminder Nagra as DI Ray and Maanuv Thiara as PS Tony Khatri. ITV ITV

During once exchange between the pair, she voiced her frustration that police intelligence were refusing to let her meet with the controller of Imran's handler. On hearing that, Martyn sent a text to Ray in which he posed as the controller and offered to talk to her.

Martyn was confident that he was one step ahead of his partner, but Ray, as ever, was well ahead of his game.

On meeting in a hotel room, Martyn demanded that she return the tape detailing his crimes, but Ray refused. Waiting outside was Tranter, who grabbed Ray and attempted to force her into his vehicle as her husband-to-be looked on.

But just in the nick of time, the cavalry arrived, with both men arrested.

DI Ray
Parminder Nagra as DI Ray. ITV ITV

But despite her sterling police work, Ray was not rewarded for her efforts.

She's informed that she will now need to be investigated given that the man she was once going to marry was corrupt, which she readily accepted.

But the superintendent then went on to discuss her "interpersonal issues with management" – Ray and DCI Kerry Henderson had a frosty relationship throughout – and the allegation of bullying that was made against her by another officer.

Despite a solid defence for all of her behaviour, both Ray and her team were taken off the investigation, despite the fact that they had made start on uncovering a modern slavery ring operating in the area.

"Part of this is on us," said the superintendent. "I'm afraid we failed you. I was under pressure to appoint you due to the ethnic needs of the case. But, as a result, we put you in a position where you were out of your depth. You simply weren't ready."

Her boss went on to inform Ray that he was waiting for the go ahead to suspend her from the investigation and with that, her services were no longer required, for now at least.

The crime drama is in a prime position to return for season 2, but it remains to be seen whether Ray will retain her DI status or be shoved down the pecking order. With a number of corrupt officers dotted throughout the force, not to mention the daily prejudice she has to endure, she's certainly got a fight on her hands.

DI Ray season 2 began on ITV1 on Sunday 20th October at 9pm, with subsequent episodes following across the week. All six episodes also dropped on ITVX on 20th October.

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Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.

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