The BBC has unveiled a brand-new trailer and first-look artwork for the highly anticipated second series of This City is Ours, with all eight episodes arriving on BBC iPlayer later this month.
The award-winning Liverpool crime drama will return with James Nelson-Joyce and Hannah Onslow reprising their roles as Michael Kavanagh and Diana Williams, while Endeavour star Shaun Evans and Money Heist actor Álvaro Morte join the cast for series two.
The new series picks up immediately after the dramatic events of the first, with Michael and Diana’s attempt to start a new life in Spain quickly derailed by the fallout from Ricardo’s death.
This City is Ours series 2: key details
- Release date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
- Where to watch: All eight episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from October 25
- TV broadcast: Sundays and Mondays at 9pm on BBC One
- Returning stars: James Nelson-Joyce, Hannah Onslow, Jack McMullen and Julie Graham
- New cast: Shaun Evans and Álvaro Morte
- Filmed in: Liverpool and Spain
- Series length: Eight episodes, each 60 minutes
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When is This City is Ours series 2 on BBC?
This City is Ours series two will be released on Sunday, October 25.
BBC iPlayer subscribers will be able to watch all eight episodes from the same day, giving viewers the option to binge the entire series.
For those who prefer to watch week by week, the drama will air on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday and Monday nights.
That means the BBC is giving fans two ways to follow Michael Kavanagh’s latest chapter — either watch the entire series on iPlayer or follow the scheduled BBC One broadcasts.
Watch the new This City is Ours series 2 trailer
The BBC’s new trailer offers the first substantial look at what is in store when the Liverpool crime saga returns.
James Nelson-Joyce is back as Michael Kavanagh, with Hannah Onslow returning as Diana Williams.
The trailer also introduces two major new characters who look set to shake up the balance of power.
Shaun Evans plays former gangster Ozzie Thompson, who has recently been released from prison, while Álvaro Morte plays Felipe Guzman, a member of the Colombian cartel and the younger brother of Ricardo, whose murder was one of the defining moments of series one.
What is This City is Ours series 2 about?
The second series picks up directly from the ending of series one.
Michael and Diana have barely arrived in Spain when they are pulled back into the dangerous world they had hoped to leave behind.
They are forced to answer questions surrounding Ricardo’s death, while the consequences of his murder continue to reverberate through the criminal organisation.
Back in Liverpool, tensions are rising among the gang’s remaining members.
And there is another threat on the horizon.
An old-school gangster from Ronnie’s era, recently released from prison, returns looking for compensation from the firm.
His arrival threatens to reopen old wounds and disrupt an already unstable balance of power.
With Michael caught between his new life and the criminal world he has tried to escape, the second series looks set to expand the drama beyond Liverpool while retaining the city’s criminal underworld at its heart.
Who is in the This City is Ours series 2 cast?
James Nelson-Joyce returns as Michael Kavanagh, while Hannah Onslow reprises her role as Diana Williams.
They are joined by a returning ensemble including:
- Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan
- Mike Noble as Banksey
- Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan
- Laura Aikman as Rachel Duffy
- Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy
- Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Cheryl Crawford
- Darci Shaw as Melissa Sullivan
- Adam Abbou as Freddie
- Bobby Schofield as Bonehead
The second series also brings two major new additions.
Shaun Evans as Ozzie Thompson
Best known for playing the young Endeavour Morse in Endeavour, Shaun Evans joins the drama as Ozzie Thompson.
Ozzie is a former gangster who has recently been released from prison and comes from Ronnie’s era of Liverpool’s criminal underworld.
His return is set to cause major problems for those now running the firm.
Álvaro Morte as Felipe Guzman
Álvaro Morte, internationally recognised for playing The Professor in Money Heist, joins the cast as Felipe Guzman.
Felipe is a member of the Colombian cartel and the younger brother of Ricardo Guzman, who was murdered at the end of series one.
His connection to Ricardo puts him directly into the increasingly complicated fallout from the first series.
How successful was This City is Ours?
The first series of This City is Ours proved to be a major hit for the BBC.
It launched on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in March 2025 to widespread critical acclaim and subsequently received BAFTA Television Award nominations for Best Drama and Leading Actor, with James Nelson-Joyce recognised in the latter category.
The series has attracted an average audience of 6.2 million viewers to date.
Its opening episode performed particularly strongly. More than 8.3 million people watched it, more than quadrupling the initial overnight figure of 1.9 million.
The finale was also a major iPlayer success, with almost three million people streaming the final episode before its BBC One transmission in May.
Nelson-Joyce subsequently won the Best Breakthrough Talent Award at the RTS North West Awards 2025 for his performance as Michael.
Where was This City is Ours filmed?
The crime drama has strong connections to the city at its centre.
This City is Ours was filmed in and around Liverpool, with additional production taking place in Spain.
The combination of Liverpool and Spain reflects the expanded scope of the second series, as Michael and Diana’s story moves beyond the city while the gang’s affairs continue to play out back home.
Who created This City is Ours?
This City is Ours was created and primarily written by Stephen Butchard, who returns as lead writer for the second series.
Robbie O’Neill has also written an episode.
The returning lead director is Saul Dibb, who directed series one, while John Hayes also returns. Chris Baugh joins the directing team for the new series.
The eight-part drama is produced by Left Bank Pictures for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
Executive producers include Andy Harries, Rebecca Hodgson and Sian McWilliams for Left Bank Pictures, Stephen Butchard, Saul Dibb and Jo McClellan for the BBC.
Sony Pictures Television will distribute the series internationally.
How to watch This City is Ours series 2
UK viewers will be able to watch This City is Ours series two on BBC iPlayer from Sunday, October 25.
All eight episodes will be released simultaneously on iPlayer.
The drama will also air on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday and Monday nights, starting on October 25.
Watch This City is Ours on BBC iPlayer
For fans who have been waiting since the dramatic conclusion of series one, the wait is nearly over — and judging by the new trailer, Michael Kavanagh’s attempt to escape Liverpool’s criminal underworld is about to become considerably more complicated.
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