BBC to air second series of hit drama The Newsreader

The six-part series will air on BBC Two and iPlayer later this autumn

The BBC has acquired the second series of the award-winning hit Australian drama The Newsreader, starring Anna Torv (The Last of Us, Mindhunter, Fringe) and Sam Reid (Prime Suspect 1973, Lambs of God, Interview with the Vampire) as well as new cast members Daniel Gillies (The Originals, Virgin River) and Rory Fleck Byrne (This is Going to Hurt, Vampire Academy).

Created, written and produced by award-winning writer Michael Lucas (Offspring, Five Bedrooms), and directed by Emma Freeman (Interview with the Vampire, Stateless), the six-part series will air on BBC Two and iPlayer later this autumn.

A year on from the events of series one, audiences once again meet Helen Norville (Anna Torv) and Dale Jennings (Sam Reid), who are now established as 'The Golden Couple of News'. To the outside world, they present a glowing image of success and romance. But the truth is more complex...

Dale, although still honing his craft, has proved himself a steady and reliable co-anchor to Helen which impresses the new young CEO, Charlie Tate (Daniel Gillies), who has a very clear vision of the style of news he would like to see at 'News at Six'. Conversely, Helen's mission to pursue and champion hard-hitting, uncompromising interviews has her at loggerheads with the new CEO... and she isn't afraid to tell him what she thinks of his plans for the programme.

As 1987 rolls along, global stocks will soar and crash, Australia will prepare to celebrate its Bicentennial year, and Helen and Dale grapple with who they really want to be in life - and whether that path can be together...

Series one actors returning alongside Anna Torv and Sam Reid are: Robert Taylor (Longmire), Stephen Peacocke (Five Bedrooms, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), William McInnes (Unfinished Sky, Blue Heelers), Chum Ehelepola (Lodge 49, Lady Dynamite), Michelle Lim Davidson (Utopia, Get Krack!n), Chai Hansen (The New Legends of Monkey) and Marg Downey (Fast Forward, Top of the Lake: China Girl). Philippa Northeast (Home & Away) will also be joining the cast for series two.

Sue Deeks, Head of Programme Acquisition for the BBC, says: "Following the great success of series one, we couldn't be more excited to welcome back the News at Six team and watch Helen and Dale navigate their ever more complicated personal lives whilst dealing with the pressures of covering the big news events of 1987."

The series was acquired from Entertainment One (eOne). It is produced by multi-award-winning Werner Film Productions, for ABC in Australia in association with eOne. Produced by Joanna Werner (Clickbait, Secret City), the series is directed by Emma Freeman and the executive producers are Joanna Werner, Stuart Menzies (The Cry) and Emma Freeman with ABC executive producers Brett Sleigh and Sally Riley.

The Newsreader series one is available to stream now in full on BBC iplayer.

Praise for The Newsreader series one:

"Intelligent writing and stellar performances make this pressurised newsroom show a real winner... you get instantly addicted to the storyline and characters, and fall in love with the actors who play them later." - Evening Standard

"A brilliant series." - Stylist

"A joy to watch." - The Times

"Anna Torv is outstanding." - Financial Times

"Sweet and warm." - The Spectator

"[The Newsreader is an] eminently watchable gem." - iNews

"A fun wallow in 1980s nostalgia." - The Telegraph

"a well-told and engrossing drama" - The Guardian

"The Newsreader... simply the most fun I've had watching telly in a long time. It packs nostalgia, romance and office politics into its six perfectly formed hours, and still finds room to tackle weighty issues such as sexual harassment, homophobia and racism. In its understated way it is quite brilliant.

The Newsreader is a terrific ensemble piece." - The Sydney Morning Herald (AUS)

"From the very first moment, [The Newsreader] is a rush, an energetic series that leaves you buzzing and wanting more." - News.com.au (AUS)

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