DCI Banks returns to ITV1 for full series in 2011

ITV has ordered more episodes of crime drama DCI Banks, starring featuring Stephen Tompkinson, following the recent success of the pilot, DCI Banks: Aftermath.


How many episodes will it be back for?

Adapted from Peter Robinson's novels by Robert Murphy, six episodes (3 stories each told over two episodes) will begin production during spring 2011 in West Yorkshire. Each of the new episodes will be 60 minute duration.

What are the stories about?

In 'Playing With Fire', two bodies are found after a fire on some narrow boats and Banks and DS Annie Cabbot find themselves on the trail of an arsonist who has killed two people.

In 'Friend Of The Devil', a young student is attacked in the middle of the city and in another part of Yorkshire a woman has her throat cut, but the two different murders have disturbing similarities.

'Cold Is The Grave' is a case terrifyingly close to home as Banks is asked by his boss, Chief Superintendent Gerry Rydell, to find his missing teenage daughter.

What should we expect?

Writer Peter Robinson says: "I was thrilled to hear that the DCI Banks pilot was a great success and that Left Bank Pictures and ITV are going ahead with a series of three more adaptations of my novels. You can only do so much in one two hour adaptation of one novel, so I hope this will give everyone a chance to build on the success they have already had and make DCI Banks a staple of prime time ITV series for years to come."

Who's back?

Alongside Stephen Tompkinson, Andrea Lowe will return to play hard-working and ambitious DS Annie Cabbot. Also, Jack Deam returns as DS Ken Blackstone, Lorraine Burroughs as Winsome Jackman and Colin Tierney as Chief Superintendent Rydell.