The Responder is returning for a second series on BBC One, with Martin Freeman back to lead the cast.

It will follow his character Chris Carson, playing a morally compromised and unconventional urgent response officer on the night shift in Liverpool, alongside his partner Rachel Hargreaves (Adelayo Adedayo).

Following the death of a key character at the end of the first series, consequences will come raining down on Chris and everyone in his life.

Speaking to the Radio Times, writer Tony Schumacher said: "These characters have grown and the situations have changed slightly. Where they live has changed slightly. Everything has just shifted. I want them to do new things and move forward."

He also mentioned how character was more important to him than plot, adding: "Everything I ever work on, everyone's going, 'Put more plot in. We need more plot.'

"For me, it's about the people. It's about Marco (Josh Finan) and Casey (Emily Fairn) and Chris and Rachel (Adelayo Adedayo), about what they've been through.

"You could only grow [across the episodes]. You could only be a different person at the end of season 1 than the person you were at the beginning of season 1."

The Responder series 2 full cast

  • Martin Freeman as Chris Carson
  • Adelayo Adedayo as Rachel Hargreaves
  • MyAnna Buring as Kate Carson
  • Warren Brown as Raymond Mullen
  • Josh Finan as Marco
  • Emily Fairn as Casey
  • Philip S McGuinness as Ian
  • Faye McKeever as Jodie Sweeney
  • Mark Womack as Barry
  • Amaka Okafor as Deborah Barnes
  • Adam Nagaitis
  • Bernard Hill 
  • Ian Puleston-Davies

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When will The Responder series 2 be on TV?

The first episode of The Responder series 2 will air at 9pm on Sunday, May 5 on BBC One.

After that, the remaining four episodes will air in the same timeslot across the following Sundays.

Alternatively, all episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer right now.