This City is Ours returning to BBC One for a second series

Get ready to dive back into Liverpool's crime underworld.

Ahead of the final episode of This City is Ours airing on BBC One, it has been confirmed that the critically lauded breakout hit crime drama will be returning for a second series.

The first episode has been watched by over 6.6m viewers so far, more than tripling its initial overnight figure of 1.9m and on BBC iPlayer, it has been the BBC’s most watched new drama launch of the year so far, with almost 3m people already streaming the series finale ahead of its BBC One transmission tonight.

Created and written by Stephen Butchard This City is Ours is filmed in Liverpool and tells the story of Michael and Diana's love affair, played by James Nelson-Joyce and Hannah Onslow, and is set against the disintegration of Michael’s crime gang.

For years, together with his friend Ronnie, played by Sean Bean, Michael has successfully been bringing cocaine into the City and beyond, using his close links with the Marbella underworld; but when a shipment goes missing, he knows their kingdom is under attack.

It explores what happens when Ronnie’s son Jamie, played by Jack McMullen, decides he wants to inherit the kingdom over Michael, and the subsequent battle for control.

The first series also starred Laura Aikman, Julie Graham, Kevin Harvey, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Mike Noble, Bobby Schofield, Darci Shaw, and Stephen Walters.

On the news that the series will be returning, Stephen Butchard said "We have all been blown away by the incredibly positive response to This City is Ours, I can’t thank the audience enough for their time and emotional investment. My heartfelt thanks also to Lindsay Salt and her wonderful team at BBC Drama for their unflinching support and continued belief in the show, our story and our characters - and not least for this opportunity to do it all over again! See you soon!"

To which Sian McWilliams, Creative Director at Left Bank Pictures and executive producer, added "We are so delighted to be diving back into Stephen Butchard’s brilliant underworld of Liverpool crime with our wonderful collaborators at the BBC. It’s been a joy to watch audiences fall in love with these fantastically complex characters. After the tumultuous events of the season one finale, the gang rivalries and betrayals have escalated to new levels, new ones have just begun, and there is a lot of unfinished business!"

And the BBC's Director of Drama, Lindsay Salt, said "This City is Ours was one of our team’s first commissions when I joined the BBC, and I could not be happier with how Stephen, Saul and the Left Bank team have brought it to the screen so classily. The response from viewers has been a joy to see, with millions discovering its thrilling, character-driven drama for themselves to become gripped by the raging war of the Phelans. I'm delighted that we now get to build on this fantastic first run and show that things are only just getting started for this very special series."

The second series of This City is Ours will be produced by Left Bank Pictures, written by Stephen Butchard, and executive produced by Andy Harries, Rebecca Hodgson and Sian McWilliams for Left Bank Pictures, Stephen Butchard, and Jo McClellan and Sami El Hadi for the BBC.

Further information about series two will be announced in due course.

This City is Ours will return to BBC One