Keeley Hawes has been confirmed to be joining the cast of Prisoner for its second season, as it’s also been revealed that production on the returning Sky thriller has begun.
The popular actor, who is perhaps best known for her roles across Line of Duty, Jed Mercurio’s Bodyguard and more recently The Assassin, will star alongside Izuka Hoyle (Boiling Point, Big Boys), who plays the central character of prison transport officer Amber Todd.
Prisoner became a hit when it premiered in April this year, becoming one of the year’s most-watched Sky Original dramas.
BBC
Keeley Hawes also starred in Line of Duty…
“There are obvious echoes of Line of Duty about the set-up, but the fact that Prisoner can still take your breath away is a testament to its inventiveness,” wrote The Herald (via Rotten Tomatoes), meanwhile Irish Independent said: “Prisoner is overwhelmingly daft stuff, but if you’re happy to put your brain into neutral and ignore the implausibility of it all, you’ll certainly be entertained.”
As a result of its success, the show was quickly announced for a second season – and there’s now been a number of other cast additions confirmed too.
Among the new actors appearing in Prisoner for season two are Solly McLeod (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), David Dawson (Luther, Ripper Street), and Elijah Cook (The Diplomat).
Meanwhile other returning stars include Catherine McCormack (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth), Leonie Benesch (Late Shift), Finn Bennett (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), Ken Nwosu (Black Doves), Daniel Betts (MobLand), Jessica Barker-Wren (Odie – North Face) and Michele Austin (This Is Going to Hurt).
Sky
Related: BBC’s hit police procedural Line of Duty set to return earlier than expected after 5 years away
A synopsis for season two reveals that Amber Todd (Hoyle) is “scarred by past events” and “struggling to move on and repair her fractured family”.
It’s then that she’ll find herself entangled in the expatriation of Dr Regan Weaver (the new character played by Keeley Hawes), who is described as “a brilliant psychologist and notorious prisoner.”
“Framed for murder, Amber is forced to go on the run with Regan, and the two form an unexpected bond as they are hunted by criminals, governments and rogue police, all desperate to get their hands on Weaver and the secrets she has spent decades hiding,” the description concludes.
Sky
Sky’s Managing Director for Scripted Originals Meghan Lyvers has described the second season as “a gripping new chapter of Prisoner that takes the series in an even more ambitious direction and raises the stakes for Amber”.
“Alongside our hugely talented creative team, we’re delighted to welcome the brilliant Keeley Hawes, Solly McLeod and David Dawson to the cast, joining the fantastic Izuka Hoyle and our returning ensemble,” Lyvers added in the statement.
“Sky’s audience was highly engaged with the first season, so we can’t wait for them to see what’s in store.”
Prisoner airs on Sky, and a release date for season 2 has not yet been announced.
Visit our Streaming Guide now to see at a glance where you can view ALL your favourite shows and movies.
The new edition of Legends, a 100-page celebration of the world of K-pop, is here. Buy K-Pop in newsagents or online.
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK’s biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world’s oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).