BBC Renews Acclaimed Crime Drama This City Is Ours For Series 3 Before Season 2 Premiere
The BBC has given This City Is Ours an early third-season renewal, signalling strong confidence in the Liverpool-set crime drama before its highly anticipated second series has even premiered.
Starring James Nelson-Joyce as Michael Kavanagh, the gripping series follows a man deeply involved in an organised crime syndicate whose world changes when he falls in love with Diana Williams, played by Hannah Onslow. Their relationship soon becomes entangled with the dangerous rivalries, loyalties and power struggles surrounding the criminal underworld.
The eight-part third series is scheduled to begin filming in Liverpool in 2027. Further details about the upcoming season’s cast are expected to be announced at a later date.
The recommission comes after a successful first series, which premiered in March 2025. Viewers praised the drama as “phenomenal”, while its popularity helped it attract millions of viewers and secure BAFTA Television Award nominations for Best Drama and Leading Actor.
Before the newly announced third season moves into production, audiences will return to the show’s turbulent world when series two arrives on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, 25 October.
What happens in This City Is Ours season 2?
The second series picks up immediately after the events of the first, with Michael and Diana barely having reached Spain before being pulled back into the criminal world they hoped to leave behind.
Their plans are disrupted when they are called back to answer questions surrounding Ricardo’s death, drawing Michael into another difficult situation as he attempts to navigate the consequences of his past.
Back in Liverpool, tensions continue to simmer among the remaining members of the gang. The situation becomes even more complicated when an old-school gangster from Ronnie’s era is released from prison and demands compensation from the organisation.
With old rivalries resurfacing and unresolved conflicts threatening the gang’s stability, the new season promises to continue exploring the dangerous relationships and competing loyalties at the heart of the series.
Full cast of This City Is Ours season 2
James Nelson-Joyce and Hannah Onslow return as the central couple, Michael Kavanagh and Diana Williams, with several familiar faces reprising their roles as the drama’s criminal rivalries continue.
The returning cast includes:
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Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan, son of the late gang leader Ronnie Phelan.
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Mike Noble as Banksey.
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Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan, Ronnie’s widow.
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Laura Aikman as Rachel Duffy.
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Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy.
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Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Cheryl Crawford.
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Darci Shaw as Melissa Sullivan.
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Adam Abbou as Freddie.
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Bobby Schofield as Bonehead.
Two notable additions will also feature in the upcoming series.
Shaun Evans as Ozzie Thompson
Known for Endeavour and Until I Kill You, Evans joins the drama as Ozzie, a former gangster recently released from prison who returns determined to claim compensation from the firm.
Álvaro Morte as Felipe
The Money Heist, Immaculate and The Wheel of Time star joins the cast as Felipe Guzman, the younger brother of Ricardo, whose death becomes a central issue in the new season.
Why the BBC is backing another season
The decision to renew This City Is Ours before its second series reaches screens reflects the success of its debut. The first season attracted an average of approximately 6.3 million viewers, with its opening episode eventually reaching more than 8 million viewers. It also earned BAFTA Television Award nominations for Best Drama and Best Leading Actor for James Nelson-Joyce.
Created and written by Stephen Butchard, the series is produced by Left Bank Pictures for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Its combination of family conflict, organised crime and the struggle for power has helped establish it as a notable British crime drama.
The third series will consist of eight episodes, with filming planned primarily in Liverpool in 2027. Casting announcements and further details about the storyline are expected in due course.
When to watch This City Is Ours
The first series is available to stream on BBC iPlayer, making it possible for viewers to catch up before the new episodes arrive.
Season two premieres on Sunday, 25 October 2026, at 9pm on BBC One, with the full series also becoming available on BBC iPlayer that day. BBC One will continue airing episodes on Sunday and Monday evenings at 9pm.
With a third series already confirmed, viewers can look forward to another chapter in Michael Kavanagh’s dangerous world as the next season prepares to bring fresh challenges, old enemies and renewed tensions to Liverpool’s criminal underworld.