Karen Pirie's Lauren Lyle on potential season 2: 'There’s more to be done'
The show's writer Emer Kenny also said she's "looking at" the next novel in Val McDermid's book series.
New detective drama Karen Pirie may still be airing weekly on ITV but with the full series now available on ITV Hub, fans are already making their way through the boxset and wondering whether a second season is on the way.
The drama is based on Val McDermid's book The Distant Echo, the first in a long-running series following Karen, meaning there should still be plenty of material to work from.
Without any official word on whether the show will be coming back just yet, it's not just fans that are desperate for more - in fact, it seems as though the cast are too, as Karen star Lauren Lyle has said that if it was up to her she would have "signed off season 2 straight away", adding: "We didn’t want to leave the set!"
Lyle continued: "I think there’s a lot more to be done, the books are phenomenal. The next one is partially set in Tuscany, so why would we not want to do that?! But yes, she’s my favourite character I’ve ever played and the one I’ve felt most trusted with, I’ve had a lot of creative control, which is just so cool. I definitely feel we could go again if we are permitted."
Lyle's comments were echoed by executive producer Simon Heath, who said that while it will "ultimately depend on how well the audience respond to the first season", he and the team "have our fingers firmly crossed" to make more.
Similarly, Emer Kenny, who both wrote the screen adaptation and stars in it as River Wilde, said that "there's definitely scope to do more" when speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com.
Kenny said that she's been "looking at A Darker Domain", which is the second book in McDermid's Pirie series, but added: "I've been looking across a couple of them actually, because you really want to make sure what you're doing feels like you should be making it now, that you're not just making it because it's the next book in the series."
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She continued: "You're working out why this should be on TV in 2023 or 2024, whenever it will come out – so yeah we’ve been looking at them and talking about what will work."
Kenny added that she was "really keen to see what people respond to" in the first season and find out "what they like about", saying she will then "kind of roll with that after it comes out".
Karen Pirie continues on Sunday 2nd October at 8pm on ITV, while all episodes are available now on ITV Hub. You can also get a 30-day free trial of ITV Hub+ on Amazon Prime Video here.
Check out our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features or find something to watch with our TV guide.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
