TV & Movies

The Tower Season 2 Will Grip Viewers With A Major Twist

We’re already invested.

by Sophie McEvoy and Rachel Mantock
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Gemma Whelan in ITV's The Tower
ITV

Viewers were treated to the first instalment of crime drama The Tower back in Nov. 2021. Airing across three consecutive nights, Season 1 came to a close quickly, leaving fans hoping it would return for another round. Thankfully, now we can confirm that ITV is bringing the drama back for season 2, with The Tower II: Death Message Much like its predecessor, the new season will be based on book series, focusing on the second book, naturally. Here’s everything we know so far about The Tower season 2, including new and returning characters.

The Tower S2 Plot

The Tower Season 1 was based on former Metropolitan Police detective Kate London’s book, Post Mortem and followed DS Sarah Collins (portrayed by Gemma Whelan) as she investigates the death of a veteran police officer and a teenage girl, as well as the disappearance of rookie copper called Lizzie Griffiths (Tahirah Sharif).

In the second novel, Death Message, Collins and Griffiths team up to solve a mysterious disappearance which spans two decades, as well as a case of domestic violence. As the summary for the book reads: “Sarah and Lizzie must survive the dangerous territory where love and violence meet.”

ITV has revealed that the series opens with Griffiths returning to Farlow station. “Her boss and former lover, DI Kieran Shaw, partners her with Arif Johar. Their first call is to a domestic violence complaint against Mark Brannon, who is accused of beating up his girlfriend, Georgina Teel, and terrorising their young daughter, Skye.”

Meanwhile, Collins has transferred to Homicide Command and dealing with a new boss who is less than welcoming. When he asks her to re-open the case of a missing school girl, Tania Mills, who disappeared on the day of Princess Diana’s funeral, 6 September 1997, Collins thinks she’s being set up to fail, but soon uncovers clues that previous investigations missed. The synopsis promises a major twist, too: “At the end of the first episode, Sarah’s investigations take a further twist, which means she and Lizzie cross paths again…”

The Tower S2 Cast

Gemma Whelan, Tahirah Sharif, Emmett J Scanlan, and Jimmy Akingbola are all back for the second series. Joining the cast are Dunkirk’s Charley Palmer Rothwell as Mark, Grace’s Rosa Coduri as Georgina, and 28 Days Later’s Stuart McQuarrie as Sarah’s new boss DCI Jim Fedden. Ridley Road’s Tamzin Outhwaite, The Virtues’ Niamh Cusack, and The Nevers’ Ella Smith have also been

Ridley Road’s Tamzin Outhwaite joins the cast as Cathy Teel, The Virtues star Niamh Cusack takes on the role of Claire Mills, and Ella Smith, of The Nevers fame, takes the role of DC Elaine Lucas.

The Tower S2 Release Date

ITV have yet to reveal when The Tower season 2 will air, but has confirmed that the series is currently filming in the North West of England.

Will There Be A Third Season Of The Tower?

The third book, Gallowstree Lane, focuses on another officer — Detective Inspector Kieran Shaw — but it still features appearances from Collins and Griffiths. This time, however, the officers are involved in bringing down an organised crime group, known as the Eardsley Bluds.

According to The Tower’s lead actor Gemma Whelan, London is already working on a fourth instalment to the book series. “I hope we get to do it again,” Whelan told Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby during an appearance on This Morning in 2021. “Series tend to get better and juicer as the writer knows the characters better,” she continued, adding that she’d “love to have another” crack at portraying Collins.

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