Karen Pirie returning to ITV1 for a third series

And it promises to be her darkest and most challenging case yet!

ITV1 has announced that its cold-case crime drama Karen Pirie will return for a third series, with Lauren Lyle returning to play the iconic role of the fiercely intelligent Scottish detective, and acclaimed Scottish screenwriter Gillian Roger Park takes over from Emer Kenny as lead writer. And filming will begin in 2027.

Series three will be an adaptation of Val McDermid's third book in the Karen Pirie series of novels, The Skeleton Road and will air as a six hour-long episodes, a change to the original two-hour format.

The story starts with the discovery of a man’s remains hidden in the roof of a derelict Edinburgh building. DI Karen Pirie learns that the victim fled the Balkans conflict of the 1990s for the safety of Scotland to marry a now-famous author, whose identity stirs up a hornets' nest of publicity.

As the investigation develops, Karen unearths dangerous secrets and a vicious cycle of revenge as someone takes justice into their own hands. Can Karen stop the killer before they kill again? And when present resentment collides with secrets of the past, the truth is more shocking than anyone could have imagined.

On returning to Karen Pirie, Lauren Lyle said "Playing Karen Pirie has become one of the most delicious thrills of my career and knowing that people of the world want more of her and her bumbag is an absolute honour! With the added joy of getting to put my Executive Producer hat on for season 3, I can finally, much like Karen, whip all those higher up’s in to shape. In all seriousness, I’m so grateful to be bringing more Karen Pirie to our screens. Season 3 feels even more elevated, with an even wilder story full of thrills, twists, and of course, plenty of eye rolls."

To which writer Gillian Roger Park added "I’m delighted to be taking the reins on Karen Pirie for series three as she takes on her darkest and most challenging case yet! The incomparable Val McDermid has created a truly distinctive and enduring character in Karen and it’s a real honour to follow Emer, whose brilliant adaptation brought Karen’s world to the screen over two successful series. As a Scottish writer, I’m especially thrilled to continue showcasing modern Scotland and to write for Lauren, who plays Karen with such wit and fresh energy.”

And ITV’s Commissioning Editor Huw Kennair Jones said "We're thrilled to be returning to Karen Pirie and Lauren Lyle's award-winning performance in what promises to be another brilliant series. Based on Val McDermid's bestselling book, Gillian has woven a compelling story that will delight Karen's many fans. With the fantastic team at World Productions producing, the ITV and ITVX audience are in for a gripping drama."

Made by World Productions, Karen Pirie will be written by Gillian Roger Park with screenwriter and actor Deli Segal writing an episode, and it'll be produced by Marcus Wilson, with Ella Tayler Baron as Associate Producer and it'll be executive produced by Val McDermid, Simon Heath, Gillian Roger Park and Lauren Lyle.

Speaking ahead of the new series, Simon Heath, on behalf of World Productions said "We’re very grateful to ITV for giving us the opportunity to bring back to the screen Val’s iconic and much-loved detective, so brilliantly realised in Lauren’s stellar performance."

To which Val McDermid added "I’m thrilled to hear that plans are so far advanced for Karen Pirie series three. The Skeleton Road is a favourite with many readers, so it’ll be particularly exciting to see it adapted. I feel very privileged to have such a talented team bringing my books to a wider audience and I can’t wait to see what they make of it."

Karen Pirie will return to ITV1