BBC teases 'high stakes and gripping moments' as police drama Blue Lights returns

Blue Lights is returning for athrilling third series, with the BBC teasing "more high-stakes, gripping moments than ever before".

The police drama became an instant sensation after its debut in 2023, with viewers hailing it as "the best thing on TV". A second series followed last year, captivating more viewers with the goings-on at the fictional Blackthorn police station in Belfast.

The third instalment of Blue Lights is now upon us, with fans about to be immersed in a sinister world hidden beneath the veneer of middle-class life in Belfast "as the collapse of the old political and criminal order has paved the way for a new era of global gangs".

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When does Blue Lights air?

Blue Lights makes its comeback on TV tonight (Monday September 29). It's scheduled to broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer from 9pm, reports Belfast Live.

Who stars in series 3?

Sian Brooke reprises her role as Grace Ellis, Katherine Devlin returns as Annie Conlon and Nathan Braniff is back as Thomas Foster, with the trio no longer being fresh faces at the station.

Martin McCann is back as police officer Stevie Neill, while Joanne Crawford resumes her role as Inspector Helen McNally.

There are also some fresh faces in the cast, with Boiling Point's Cathy Tyson portraying Dana Morgan, a private club owner, and Bad Sisters' Michael Smiley featuring as new intelligence officer Paul 'Colly' Collins.

What's the plot for series 3?

Series three of Blue Lights picks up with response officers Grace, Annie and Tommy, who are now two years into their roles.

The upcoming episodes will test them as their duties lead them into a criminal underworld where accountants and solicitors enable organised crime.

Simultaneously, a new gang dominates Belfast, "bringing danger closer to home for our officers than ever before".

Declan Lawn, who co-created the police drama with Adam Patterson, revealed: "Series three looks at the professional apparatus alongside organised crime, and how paramilitaries in Belfast are often in thrall to international organised crime gangs using the territory as a stopping off point for large scale drug smuggling."

"It also looks at sexual exploitation of kids in care," he added. "These storylines are entirely fictional but informed by careful research so have a real authenticity."

How many episodes can we expect?

The crime drama is sticking to its usual format, with the new series consisting of six episodes.

Blue Lights series three is on BBC One and iPlayer from 9pm on Monday September 29.