Gangs of London's Lale and Asif cliffhanger isn't what you think, producer says

However, at the tail-end of season 2, we learn that Asif did not kill Lale, but instead seemed open to joining forces with her to reclaim a foothold in London's underworld – a twist that some fans dismissed as far-fetched and out of character.

Interestingly, Gangs of London season 3 producer Vikki Tennant was actually opposed to including the scene, feeling that reconciliation between Lale and Asif would not be "truthful" to either character.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press on a visit to the Gangs of London season 3 set, Tennant revealed that it was a top priority for herself and co-writer Peter McKenna to "write ourselves out of this corner" when developing the latest run.

"We came up with a story in which that deal that you saw at the end [of season 2] is so not what you think it is," she teased, "and the story behind it is something way more exciting, and loads has happened in-between that you will uncover across the series".

Tennant continued: "Actually, now I'm delighted we did it, because it probably wouldn't have come up with this story for this series if we hadn't had that scene that really challenged us to find something totally different and exciting for both of those characters."

After being betrayed so brutally in season 2, viewers will be pleased to hear that Lale is coming back swinging in the latest run, with Tennant going so far as to say that her arc is the "best story" of the season.

She explained: "I think that her character really rises up as something really, really exciting – and Asif too! I didn't think we would take that character to such an emotionally grounded place, actually, and it's been amazing."

Kurdish fighter Lale and Pakistani gangster Asif have a long and dark history with one another, including most notably his murder of her husband and her revenge killing of his son – but their dynamic is set to go even deeper in season 3.

"I was in tears watching those two perform," recalled Tennant, "and I didn't think I'd feel that because their story can be quite heightened and quite arch, but we took it to a place where... it's got a real emotional truth to it."

Gangs of London season 3 premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 20th March 2025.

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