Here is everything showrunner Jed Mercurio has said about series two of Bodyguard
Will Richard Madden return to BBC1 as bodyguard David Budd?
**WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR BODYGUARD'S SERIES FINALE**
Will there be a second series of Bodyguard? SPOILER ALERT: If there is, it certainly won't star Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), who is 100% definitively dead.
But it might star David Budd (Richard Madden), who was able to prove his innocence and catch the culprits at the end of the series' nail-biting finale.
So far, nothing has been confirmed by the BBC, but showrunner Jed Mercurio has already shared a few thoughts. Here's what he's disclosed so far:
Will there be a second series of Bodyguard?
Mercurio has been keen on the idea of a second series of Bodyguard since the very beginning. Speaking on set at the mocked-up Home Office during filming, the showrunner said: "I really do love doing returning series, so if this is successful, and people stick with it, then it would be great to do more."
In recent interviews he's revealed that conversations with the BBC have now begun – but nothing is set in stone.
Mercurio told Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield on This Morning: "We're just beginning that conversation with the BBC so we know that people out there are loving series one and that there would be an appetite for series two, but we'll just have to wait and see. A lot goes into setting up a production and none of those conversations have taken place yet which would allow us to facilitate that production."
On Newsnight the following evening – the Thursday before the finale aired – he batted aside the idea of moving the drama to Netflix, explaining: "Currently we're just opening the conversation with the BBC about whether we will do a second series, and that's the only conversation that is taking place at the moment, and we're very grateful for the support we've had from the BBC all through the process. So I'm optimistic that we'll be able to move forward with the BBC if there is a second series."
With record-breaking audience figures, you'd think the Beeb would be desperate to re-commission the series. But Mercurio is not counting his chickens just yet.
"You have to wait until the end because anything can happen," he told Radio Times. "Some shows do nosedive at the end, or some piece of content could become incredibly controversial and affect the way the show is seen. In the end, you have to accept that the broadcaster holds all the cards."
Would David Budd be back for a second series?
Although at times during the nail-biting final it looked like Jed Mercurio might actually kill off bodyguard David Budd (Richard Madden) as well as bombing victim Julia Montague MP (Keeley Hawes), thankfully "David slash Dave" made it all the way to the end of the finale in one piece. He also finally agreed to go to therapy for his PTSD, taking the first step towards recovery.
Although it's possible that a second series could introduce an entirely new bodyguard as the main character, at the moment it looks like Mercurio is hoping to get Budd back – and perhaps give him a new "principal" to protect now Julia is gone.
"He's the genuine article, a real leading man. And I think this role has put him very much in the spotlight for bigger things," the screenwriter told Radio Times. "So the practicality may be that we have to work round his availability, if we are lucky enough to get him back."
Before the final episode, he told ITV's This Morning: "It's great that he's getting all the attention that he deserves, and I guess that if that character survives then we would have to get into a conversation with Richard about whether he'd be available to do another series."
Who else would appear in series two – and what would happen?
David Budd belongs to the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch (RaSP), which will presumably be getting a new boss now Lorraine Craddock (Pippa Haywood) has been charged with conspiracy to murder.
If Budd goes back to work as a PPO, he could end up being assigned to another politician, a diplomat – or even a royal.
One thing's for sure: showrunner Jed Mercurio is already recruiting his guest stars and newsreaders for series two. He's started angling for a cameo from former Home Secretary Amber Rudd, and ITV shows might even get a look-in...
