Unforgotten season 7: Release date speculation and latest news

That's right, we'll be returning to the world of crime with DCI Jessica James (Sinéad Keenan) and DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) once again.

Season 6 saw plenty of change for the pair in terms of their personal lives and left on quite the open-ended nature for both of them, so we're sure season 7 will continue to explore their working dynamic but also, their growing friendship.

The most recent season saw them investigating the discovery of human remains on some marshes in London and throughout six episodes, we came to find out just how each of the four seemingly separate characters had crossed paths with the victim.

We're sure the new season will follow the same format of centring on the one case and four characters (or suspects) that weave into things, which we cannot wait for.

Series star Sinéad Keenan was previously asked about the possibility of returning for more Unforgotten in an interview with Radio Times magazine, to which she responded: "Would I be up for hanging out with the lovely Sanjeev Bhaskar again? I reckon so. Bring it on!"

But when exactly will a seventh season of Unforgotten be airing? Read on for everything we know so far.

Will there be a season 7 of Unforgotten?

Yes! ITV have officially renewed Unforgotten for season 7.

The news was announced right after the linear ITV1 airing of the season 6 finale on Tuesday 25th February, with series creator and writer Chris Lang saying of the news: "I am so delighted to have been asked to create another series of Unforgotten, and given the opportunity once again to follow Sunny, Jess and their brilliant team, as they attempt to crack another cold case.

"Unforgotten is a drama that has always asked its audience to lean in, concentrate, and engage with complex ideas, plots and themes, and we are profoundly grateful that such a large and loyal audience continue to enjoy doing exactly that. Roll on series 7!!"

The news was also confirmed on ITV's official Instagram, with a video of Keenan and Bhaskar holding the script for season 7 and thanking fans for watching. You can watch that below.

Unforgotten season 7 release date speculation

A release date for Unforgotten season 7 has not yet been confirmed.

But we would assume that the ITV series would follow a similar release pattern to the previous season. For season 6, it was confirmed back in April 2023 and then premiered in February 2025.

So, if it follows an identical release, we could anticipate the release of season 7 anywhere from late 2026 to early 2027.

However, it's worth noting that Unforgotten has varied its release windows over the years, with there being two years between seasons 1-2 and seasons 4-5, but only one year between seasons 2-3.

On the other hand, season 4 was released in 2021, three years after season 3 was released in 2018.

Who could return for Unforgotten season 7?

It's been confirmed that both Sinéad Keenan and Sanjeev Bhaskar will return as series leads Jess and Sunny.

The pair got off to a rocky start in season 5, but season 6 saw them working together better than ever, despite the roller coasters of their own personal lives, which we'll reveal more of below – but be warned: there are spoilers ahead.

Jessie found out that her husband Steve (Andrew Lancel) had actually slept with her sister, despite lying to her and saying it was 'just' an emotional affair.

Once confronted by Jessie, he admitted to having a sex addiction that he was seeing a therapist about, and wanted to mend their marriage.

Unluckily for him, Jessie was having none of it and gave him back her wedding ring, telling him she'll arrange for divorce papers to be drafted up immediately.

So, we'd expect that Lancel won't be reprising his role as Steve, unless a seventh season saw the two trying to co-parent in the wake of their split.

We'd also expect the core police team to all return, as well as Georgia Mackenzie's Leanne, who shared a kiss with Sunny and revealed some details of her own fraught family past. Could there be romance on the cards for the pair?

The cast we'd expect to return for Unforgotten season 7 are as follows.

• Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jessica 'Jessie' James
• Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khan
• Jordan Long as DS Murray Boulting
• Carolina Main as DS Fran Lingley
• Pippa Nixon as DC Karen Willets
• Georgia Mackenzie as Dr Leanne Balcombe

As is the format of the series, each season of Unforgotten is home to a rotating guest cast who bring each case to life with their overlapping stories. So, we'd also expect some further exciting cast announcements in due course.

What could Unforgotten season 7 be about?

With series creator and writer Chris Lang having come up with the stories of each season, we'd expect him to pen another season full of twists and turns.

As of now, no plot details have been confirmed but if previous seasons are anything to go by, we'd expect Unforgotten to keep on tapping into the state of current affairs while also balancing that with a murder investigation.

Teasing some of what's to come, ITV drama commissioner Huw Kennair Jones said of the renewal of the series: “Unforgotten is undoubtedly one of the UK's best loved dramas and we're thrilled to be returning for series 7.

"As well as Jess and Sunny, Chris has created a host of brilliant new characters in a totally compelling story. We're also indebted to Mainstreet Pictures for continuing to deliver such stand out drama with Series 7 promising to be as enthralling as all the others."

While we won't know what the ins and outs of the case, we'd expect the series to stick to its usual format of having one central murder (usually a cold case) that links a group of individuals in some way, with Jessie and Sunny left to figure out how.

Season 6 also saw Leanne (Georgia Mackenzie) revealing more about her complicated past to Sunny so could there be further exploration there? It could be possible, especially as Sunny left her a heartfelt voicemail in the season 6 finale.

We're also certain we'll definitely continue to see the fallout of Jess's own divorce after spying Steve already on a date with another woman just days after telling him she wanted to break up. As for exact plot details, we'll just have to wait and see.

Is there a trailer for a potential Unforgotten season 7?

No! Seeing as Unforgotten season 7 has just been confirmed, there's no trailer but we can expect further casting and plot details – as well as first-look images and teasers – to be released in due course.

Unforgotten season 6 is available to stream on ITVX, with the series continuing to air on Sunday and Monday evenings at 9pm on ITV1. Seasons 1-5 are available to stream on ITVX.

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