Will there be a This City Is Ours season 2?

Plenty of scheming and betrayal ensues, with things coming to a head in the nail-biting This City Is Ours ending, which brings this chapter to a satisfying conclusion, while also saving plenty of material for a potential follow-up.

Ahead of the series premiere, Sean Bean previously expressed optimism about the future of the show, telling the BBC: "There has not been anything like it before and I'm very pleased that I have been a part of it. I want it to have a long future - everyone involved in it deserves success."

So, has a second season been confirmed? Here's everything we know so far about the future of This City Is Ours on BBC One and iPlayer.

Will there be a This City Is Ours season 2?

The BBC is yet to confirm whether This City Is Ours has been renewed or cancelled, with the decision likely to be made in the next few months as the show's commercial performance is assessed.

The series debuted simultaneously on BBC One and on iPlayer (as a box set), meaning that traditional Barb ratings will only tell part of the story, as a significant proportion will be watching online at their own pace.

Creator Stephen Butchard recently said he has only planned what he was originally commissioned for, but didn't rule out further episodes.

He told the BBC: "I was commissioned to do eight episodes. I did not call it ‘Series One'. This City Is Ours could never have been, say, a film because I would not have had the chance to develop the characters, and they are all important to me.

"I don’t sit there saying, ‘Oh this plot will be developed further in series two or three and so on'.

"In This City Is Ours I set out to write a fantastic story from episode 1 to episode 8 – a tale of real life and real emotions where families are dragged deeper and deeper into confrontation."

He continued: "I have set it in a real world, a chilling, mostly unseen universe of organised crime. It is a love story. A story of love and what people will do to seize and hold on to power."

Meanwhile, series star James Nelson-Joyce told RadioTimes.com that he's keen to see the show move forward to a second season, but hasn't wanted to get swept up in hypotheticals at such an unpredictable time for the TV industry.

"I don't want to get my hopes built up," he said. "Imagine believing it's going somewhere and, for whatever reason, it didn't happen. I'd be gutted because I love doing this show.

"The crew is incredible, brilliant writing, [filming] in Liverpool – it's a proper Christmas gift. So I wouldn't want to get my hopes built up to believing that we're going for a season 2, to then not get it."

He added: "So, I kind of have to just go, 'Well, I enjoyed doing that. If it goes [ahead], fantastic. It's in the hands of the gods now... If we don't, then I have to be grateful for what I've had so far."

When could a potential This City Is Ours season 2 be released?

If This City Is Ours were to be renewed for a second season, it's likely that we'd see the next episodes arrive in approximately 12-18 months – meaning a release in early summer or autumn of 2026 would be possible.

That's just an estimate for now, though. We'll update this page when more information comes in regarding the show's status.

Who could star in a potential This City Is Ours season 2?

If This City Is Ours does return for a second season, James Nelson-Joyce and Jack McMullen would almost certainly return to continue their run as rival gangsters Michael Kavanagh and Jamie Phelan.

The core cast would all be likely to reprise their roles, with notable exceptions being Sean Bean (Ronnie Phelan), Stephen Walters (Davey Crawford), Daniel Cerqueira (Ricardo) and Shane Walker (Billy), as their characters didn't make it out of season 1 alive.

Here's a reminder of This City Is Ours season 1's cast members, who are still in play for a potential follow-up:

• James Nelson-Joyce as Michael Kavanagh
• Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan
• Hannah Onslow as Diana
• Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan
• Laura Aikman as Rachel Duffy
• Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy
• Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Cheryl Crawford
• Darci Shaw as Melissa Phelan
• Mike Noble as Banksey
• Bobby Schofield as Bonehead

What could happen in a potential This City Is Ours season 2?

There are no plot details for a potential second season just yet, with co-star Jack McMullen revealing to RadioTimes.com that the cast have "no idea" what Butchard has in mind for future chapters.

Suffice to say, there's plenty to get stuck into, from the tensions of the Phelan clan to the ramifications of Ricardo's death, which comes at the tail-end of the season 1 finale.

"[Stephen Butchard] set it up so nicely," McMullen said of a possible season 2. "They've made a deal with another group, so they want to fulfil that. There's been a murder of the [leader of the] previous group – and now there's this rift in the gang.

"So yeah, I'm so interested to see what will happen next, and hopefully I get to read those scripts from Stephen soon, because we've got no idea."

Read more:

• This City Is Ours star wanted Sean Bean to stay alive longer – and is fighting for his return

Is there a trailer for a potential This City Is Ours season 2?

There's no trailer for a This City Is Ours just yet, but we'll keep you posted if any new footage drops.

This City Is Ours is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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