ITV’s Karen Pirie recently returned to our screens for its second series, and fans were quick to praised the ‘refreshing’ series
21:53, 20 Jul 2025Updated 21:54, 20 Jul 2025
Karen Pirie fans praise ‘refreshing’ second series but all have same complaint(Image: Brentwood Gazette)
Karen Pirie returned to ITV for its second series, three years after the first debuted on our screens to great reviews. The crime series is based on the Inspector Karen Pirie novels by Val McDermid, and stars Lauren Lyle as the lead – who was recently promoted to detective inspector in the new series.
Getting straight into it, the police officer finds herself in immediate drama as she gets to work cracking a cold case involving an unsolved case from over three decades before. The mysterious case saw the kidnapping of heiress Catriona Grant (played by Julia Brown) and her young son.
Karen Pirie is back on screens for a new series(Image: ITV/ITVX)
A man’s body is soon found with links to the original kidnapping, leaving Karen scrambling to find out the truth.
Fans were obsessed with the return of the series and rushed to social media to praise the ‘refreshing’ change in cop shows as they complimented how ‘normal’ the main character is.
One user said on X/Twitter: “Great to have #KarenPirie back. Refreshing to have a normal screen detective, fun and clever but not traumatised and grumpy.”
Fans praised the ‘refreshing’ series(Image: ITV/ITVX)
Another impressed viewer added: “I love #KarenPirie she’s so normal… no cop on the edge or cop that can’t play by the rules.. just a normal cop solving crime! Thank you!”
One said: “35 minutes in and I’m hooked. This is brilliant #KarenPirie,” and another fan added: “Karen Pirie is so well produced and edited.”
However, a few had the same complaints as they hit out at ITV for adding too many ad breaks in the episode. One annoyed user said: “These ad breaks through Karen pirie is absolutely ridiculous @ITV#KarenPirie.”
“I’d enjoy #KarenPirie even more if there wasn’t an advert every 5 mins ! Getting as bad as American TV,” another irritated viewer commented.
Karen Pirie stars the likes of Chris Jenks as DC Jason Murray, Zach Wyatt as DS Phil Parhatka, Steve John Shepherd as DI Simon Lees and Emer Kenny as River Wilde.
Lauren, who plays Karen, spoke about the return of the series and explained: “I’m thrilled that we will continue the life of our fearless young detective Karen Pirie, and of course, her bumbag.
“I’ve known for a while how well the show has gone down behind the scenes so it’s been a joy to see audiences want more. It’s a creative honour to work alongside Emer Kenny with the backbone of Val McDermid’s story.
“Season 1 was incredibly exciting building an original character we hadn’t seen before. I look forward to getting the gang back together and finally being able to answer the question: ‘Please say there will be a season 2?’ with an ‘Oh yes.'”
Scottish detective Karen Pirie is back on our screens for a second season of the ITV drama – here’s everything you need to know about the cast
Karen Pirie is making a comeback to our screens for a second series of the ITV detective drama, welcoming several fresh faces to the cast.
The show initially premiered in 2022, featuring Outlander star Lauren Lyle as the intrepid Scottish detective Karen Pirie.
Drawing inspiration from Val McDermid’s second Inspector Karen Pirie novel, A Darker Domain, the upcoming series will unfold across three episodes.
The official synopsis reveals: “After her bittersweet success in series one, Karen has been promoted to Detective Inspector and seemingly given the authority she has long been fighting for.
“Just as she’s getting into the swing of her powerful new role, she is assigned an infamous unsolved case that will put her under intense scrutiny; from her boss, from the media, and ultimately, from sinister forces that would rather the past stayed in the past,” reports the Express.
Karen Pirie is back for season two(Image: ITV)
Karen Pirie series two cast:
Lauren Lyle (Outlander) as Karen Pirie
Chris Jenks (Sex Education) as DC Jason ‘Mint’ Murray
Zach Wyatt (Timestalker) as DS Phil Parhatka
Steve John Shepherd (EastEnders) as DCS LEes
Emer Kenny (EastEnders) as River Wilde
Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education) as Bel Richmond
Saskia Ashdown (Six Four) joins as newcomer DC Isla Stark
James Cosmo (Braveheart) as Sir Broderick Grant, the father of victim Catriona
Frances Tomelty (Inspector Morse) as Broderick’s ex-wife Mary
John Michie (Holby City) as Fergus Sinclair, the father of Catriona’s son Adam
Julia Brown (World on Fire) as Catriona Grant
Mark Rowley (One Day) as Mick
Kat Ronney (Dinosaur) as Bonnie
Conor Berry (Schemers) as Andy
Stuart Campbell (The Winter King) as Kevin
The cast also includes Jamie Michie, Madeleine Worrall, Jack Stewart, Thoren Ferguson, and Helen Katamba.
Season two will see the return of familiar faces as well as newcomers(Image: ITV)
The historical case at the heart of series two centres on the 1984 abduction of wealthy oil heiress Catriona Grant and her two-year-old son Adam.
The pair were snatched at gunpoint outside a chip shop in Fife and vanished without trace, despite widespread media coverage.
When human remains surface with connections to the original abduction – the first breakthrough in decades – Karen and her colleagues face one of their most daunting investigations yet.
“As Karen delves deeper into what happened in the autumn of 1984, political grudges and painful secrets reveal themselves, and it soon becomes clear… the past is far from dead,” the synopsis hints.
Karen Pirie season 2 will air on Sunday, July 20, with the first episode premiering at 8pm on ITV1.
Karen Pirie is back and she’s set for a whirlwind – but off-screen, things were just as intense for series creator Emer Kenny, who couldn’t rely on her famous (and busy) husband.
07:00, 20 Jul 2025Updated 07:40, 20 Jul 2025
Lauren Lyle reprises her role as Karen Pirie in the second season of the hit ITV show(Image: ITV)
Karen Pirie’s second season is packed with intense drama and explosive bombshells – but things were just as intense behind the scenes. Series creator Emer Kenny juggled triple duties as writer, executive producer and cast member as Karen’s best friend River… while also being a new mum.
“Filming was hectic,” she says, “My baby was 12 weeks old when I started writing the season and he was 18 months old when we were shooting. He came to Glasgow with me for three months.”
Emer had a secret weapon, but it wasn’t her husband, presenter Rick Edwards. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my mum,” she says. “My husband was away working in Germany at the Euros because he’s a presenter, so I had my mum with me at all times.”
Kylie Minogue helped too, making a daunting experience a delight: “Kylie has her own brand of rose that we drank the whole way through. It was absolutely crazy but I never feel more alive than when we’re making stuff. It just feels thrilling.”
Lauren Lyle returns to the ITV crime drama as the sharp, scrappy Scottish detective in the second season of Karen Pirie, and DI Karen’s ready to ruffle a few feathers.
Freshly promoted – albeit reluctantly – she’s still got everything to prove. “She’s determined to prove herself,” Lauren says. “Even though she’s been promoted, she’s still doubted.
It’s a reluctant promotion. Where her boss says, ‘You’re difficult but you’re great so you deserve it.’ That’s what drives her. There’s a general frustration with men being in her way and having to listen to them.”
Karen Pirie investigates the case of Catriona Grant this season – a young mother who was kidnapped at gunpoint with her toddler son(Image: ITV/ITVX)
The TV adaptation of Val McDermid’s best-selling novel series was a hit during its first season. So it’s no surprise that Emer also felt the pressure.
“It was a little daunting,” she says, “Season one was my first time writing a show. Coming back, you really hope you can match the energy and bring another good story. So I was a little daunted but the book has a really exciting story.”
Based on A Darker Domain, the second novel in the Karen Pirie series, the new season dives into a case that’s haunted the nation for decades: the 1984 disappearance of heiress Catriona Grant and her toddler son, Adam.
“She’s kidnapped at gunpoint, and then a ransom note arrives at her family home with a polaroid of her, and she is never seen again,” teases Emer. “There’s never a handover. No other ransom note was received.” Until now.
When a body is found in a remote quarry, it blows the case wide open. But it’s not Catriona. “It’s a man,” says Emer, “But her car key is in his pocket.”
As the investigation unfolds, so do the secrets – including Catriona’s steamy, hidden affair with Mick, played by The Last Kingdom’s Mark Rowley.
“Julia (Brown) and Mark were amazing together,” Emer says, “When I got their auditions in, I knew it would work. It was really important that their love story felt romantic and real.”
Outlander star Lauren Lyle reprises her role as the cold case expert (Image: ITV/ITVX)
But Catriona isn’t the only one getting her heart tangled this season. Karen’s own love life heats up with DS Phil Parhatka, played by Zach Wyatt, but she’s keeping it strictly under wraps.
“Karen’s under the impression a woman can only have one of the other – a career or a home life,” Lauren says. “Phil’s a good, smart man who’s willing to support her, but Karen thinks she has to choose her career to keep getting ahead. Her career gives her a sense of worth, but it can damage her love life.”
But the cold case earns her more attention and Karen struggles to keep the balance. “No one at work knows they’re together and she wants to keep it that way,” Emer says. “But there’s a whole new level of public interest. This is an even bigger case than the first one so she has a lot of eyes on her.”
If the stakes are higher, the humour’s sharper too – something inspired by Miss Congeniality. “Lauren and I always talk about Sandra Bullock’s character in that film as a big touchstone. We love her humour and her no-nonsense personality,” Emer says.
Other icons helped shape Karen’s DNA: Helen Mirren’s steely Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, Kate Winslet’s bruised brilliance in Mare of Easttown and Toni Collette’s grit in Unbelievable.
The new season of Karen Pirie blends romance, mystery and secrets(Image: ITV/ITVX)
Season two took the cast from gritty Glasgow streets to the sun-drenched chaos of Malta. “We had to move the shoot to September because it was too hot in Malta to shoot,” Emer remembers.
“We had tons of running scenes through the streets of Malta in 40 degree heat. But I think they loved it. I think they loved having their inner James Bond moments.”
Audiences clearly love it too and with eight novels in the series (and counting), there’s no shortage of source material. “There is potential for another season and ITV are really supportive,” Emer says. “It just depends on whether the audience wants more.” But for now, Karen is here to stay – and she’s fiercer than ever.
There’s plenty of dramas in store this week, with Lauren Lyle reprising her role as Karen Pirie on ITV and Keeley Hawes fronting a new show on Amazon Prime. Get the lowdown.
Drama is all the rage this week on the box, with a string of new shows guaranteed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
For starters, BBC2 is airing a gripping show, Unforgivable, set to explore the impact of abuse with a star-studded cast. On ITV, Outlander star Lauren Lyle returns to Karen Pirie, ready to face a new cold case on-screen.
And while there’s plenty more on streaming platforms, Sky viewers will soon wave goodbye to one of their all-time favourite series as Shemar Moore fronts SWAT for the last time.
Princess Kate and Prince William’s relationship has gone from strength to strength – but what do they really say when nobody’s watching?(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
Lip Reading the Royals: The Secret Conversations
Saturday, 5
Ever wondered what Prince William whispers to his wife, Kate Middleton, during royal events? Lip Reading the Royals: The Secret Conversations reveals the monarchy’s most private exchanges, caught on camera at weddings, funerals and formal occasions.
With expert lip reading and royal insiders on hand, this eye-opening documentary decodes the hidden dialogue of the royal family – from knowing glances to tense exchanges – offering a rare glimpse behind palace walls. It’s the Crown, unfiltered.
Krays: London’s Gangsters
Saturday, Prime Video
Forget the movie mythos, this two-part documentary unpacks the real Reggie and Ronnie Kray. Featuring never-heard-before recordings from the brothers in prison, this film digs deep into the psychological bond that kept London’s East End crime lords together.
Through expert insights and interviews, this series explores their brutal reign, their unwavering loyalty and descent into popularity. Shedding the Hollywood sheen, this is the raw and unfiltered truth behind Britain’s most renowned gangsters.
SWAT
Sunday, Sky
Shemar Moore leads SWAT into its explosive eighth and final season as Hondo confronts his most personal mission yet. When a school bus carrying students and his former football coach disappears, the team races against the clock.
Meanwhile, tension mounts with new recruit Devin Gamble, whose criminal family ties raise serious red flags. Balancing action-packed sequences with emotional stakes, this season promises high-risk takedowns, moral dilemmas, and a powerful send-off for the elite unit that’s kept L.A safe for seven years.
The Veil
Sunday, C4
Elisabeth Moss trades Gilead for global espionage in this gripping thriller series. She stars as MI6 agent Imogen Salter, tasked with uncovering the truth behind Adilah El Idrissi (Yumna Marwan), a woman suspected of orchestrating a deadly terrorist plot.
As secrets mount and loyalties blur, both women engage in a psychological game of chess spanning Paris, Istanbul and London. It’s tense, atmospheric and rich in twists, exploring trust and the veil between fact and fabrication.
Another cold case haunts Karen Pirie in the second season of the ITV crime drama(Image: Brentwood Gazette)
Karen Pirie
Sunday, ITV
Lauren Lyle is back as cold case specialist DI Karen Pirie in this gripping adaptation of Val McDermid’s A Darker Domain. The second season tackles the 1984 kidnapping of heiress Catriona Grant and her toddler son Adam.
Their disappearance has rattled Scotland but when a body and Catriona’s car keys resurface in a remote quarry, Karen must untangle a web of secrets, betrayal and hidden romances. With its dual-timeline and Karen’s razor-sharp wit, there’s more deadpan banter, bold deductions and emotionally charged revelations.
Mandy Carter returns in a new season of Diane Morgan’s hit show(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Richard Harrison)
Mandy
Monday, BBC2
Diane Morgan dons the leopard print as Mandy Carter in the fourth season of the gloriously daft BBC comedy. This time, the loveable oddball finds herself in increasingly surreal misadventures and bizarre job trials. But don’t expect her to learn anything new – she’s still up to her old tricks.
Every episode is short and savage and packs absurdist laughs and deadpan brilliance, keeping the cult following firmly on board. There’s plenty of chaos in store for Mandy but in her world, disaster is always part of the plan.
Cold Case Forensics: The Cheesewire Killer
Monday, 5
George Murdoch’s brutal 1983 murder – committed with a cheesewire has haunted Aberdeen for decades. Now, this gripping forensic documentary reopens the chilling case with cutting-edge analysis and fresh leads.
Presented by Kirsty Ward and narrated by Unforgotten’s Nicola Walker, the film retraces the night of the crime, the botched early investigation and what new DNA technology might uncover. With emotional interviews, and detailed insights, this show explores whether justice for George is finally within reach.
Critical: Between Life and Death
Wednesday, Netflix
From the producers of 24 Hours in A&E, this Netflix docuseries offers unprecedented access to London’s Major Trauma System. Cameras follow paramedics, surgeons, nurses and patients across four hospitals – St George’s, Royal Londo, St Mary’s and King’s College – as they tackle life-and-death emergencies.
Shot in real time, Critical: Between Life and Death delivers raw and unfiltered moments from the frontline. Brace yourselves for harrowing injuries, emotional recoveries and the incredible teamwork that keeps Brits alive against the odds.
Acapulco
Wednesday, Apple TV
The sun-drenched dramedy Acapulco returns for its fourth and final season as Maximo Gallardo faces the past – and the future. In 1986, young Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) tries to reclaim the top hotel title after a shock defeat.
Meanwhile, present-day Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) works tirelessly to revive Las Colinas before its grand reopening. Acapulco’s final chapter wraps up loose ends with heart, humour and the show’s trademark neon charm. Expect generational reflections and heartfelt growth for this last dip in Acapulco’s glamorous poolside chaos.
Mr Bigstuff
Thursday, Sky
Danny Dyer is back as loudmouth Lee in Mr Bigstuff’s second season, fresh off a 2025 TV BAFTA win for his performance in the bonkers Sky comedy.
This time, family drama ramps up when Lee and younger brother Glen (Ryan Sampson) discover their supposedly dead father may still be alive.
But as tensions rise between them – and with Glen’s fiancee Kirsty (Harriet Webb) keeping huge secrets – old wounds reopen. Guest stars include Fatiha El-Ghorri and EastEnders icon Linda Henry. With brawls, breakdowns and belly laughs, season two dives deeper into dysfunction with twisted humour and heartfelt honesty.
Anna Friel fronts Unforgivable, due to air on BBC2(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC / LA Productions / Kerry Spicer)
Unforgivable
Thursday, BBC2
Jimmy McGovern delivers a gripping new BBC Two drama with Unforgivable, where he delves deep into the emotional wreckage left by grooming and abuse within a working-class family.
Anna Friel leads the cast as Anna McKinney, a mother desperately trying to keep her family together, while Bobby Schofield plays Joe – a man sent to rehabilitation after his release from prison, seeking redemption with help from a former nun (Anna Maxwell Martin). It’s gut-punch storytelling at its finest.
Tom brings Spain to viewers with a deep dive into their biggest delicacies(Image: ITV)
Tom Kerridge swaps British classics for Iberian delights in this six-part travelogue series. Journeying through Spain’s most flavour-packed regions, Tom samples all kinds of delicacies – from sherry vinegar aged since 1896 in Andalusia to anchovies in Santoña and explores seafood culture in Valencia.
Made in partnership with M&S’ Farm to Foodhall campaign, this series offers rich local insight, culinary history and vibrant visuals. Expect a mouth-watering tour of tapas, tradition and technique, filled with Tom’s trademark warmth and love of food. You won’t want to miss a bite.
Marissa Anita commands the screen in this taut, psychological Indonesian drama where she plays Milla – a privileged housewife on the brink of madness after convincing herself she’s contracted a mysterious and incurable illness.
Her body feels alien, her family’s dismissive and, soon enough, reality starts to blur. As her seemingly perfect life teeters on the edge, Milla has to confront uncomfortable truths or cling on to delusion. Dark and unflinching, A Normal Woman explores identity, repression and the cost of being believed.
Keeley Hawes portrays a retired hitwoman thrown back into business in The Assassin(Image: PA)
The Assassin
Friday, Amazon Prime
Keeley Hawes stars as Julie, a retired hitwoman whose peaceful life in Greece is upended when her estranged son Edward (Freddie Highmore) arrives – unearthing secrets that put both of their lives at risk. When enemies from Julie’s shadowy past surface, the duo are forced to collaborate for survival.
Created by Harry and Jack Williams (The Tourist), this six-part thriller blends emotional depth, covert manipulations and sun-soaked suspense. Expect sharp twists, explosive action and a gripping exploration of legacy, family and redemption.
Kerry Godliman returns as Pearl Nolan, the food-loving, crime-solving seaside sleuth in Whitstable Pearl’s third season. In six new episodes, Pearl balances running her restaurant with investigating a string of mysterious deaths across Kent’s coastal community.
With DCI Mike McGuire (Howard Charles) complicating things both professionally and personally, Pearl finds herself in deeper waters than ever.
Get ready for local secrets and emotional tension as the amateur detective tackles love, loss and layered cases in this quietly compelling Brit drama.
The Jessops are back for another series of Here We Go – and things are more chaotic than ever(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Gary Moyes)
Here We Go
Friday, BBC2
The Jessops are back for the third season of Here We Go – and they’re just as chaotic as ever. This time, the lovable family faces everything from disastrous holidays to awkward jobs – even baby bombshells – all with their usual mix of mishaps and mayhem.
Created by Tom Basden and starring Jim Howick and Katherine Parkinson, the hit BBC comedy continues to capture the hilarious ups and downs of everyday life. Expect more laughs, heart and more family m havoc.
