“A sensationally good crime drama”: why we’re itching to get stuck into ITV’s After The Flood series 2

When the first series of After the Flood ended last February, you might have been fooled into thinking it wouldn’t return. Admittedly, so were we, given it would seemingly rely on another flood taking place in the small town of Waterside. Fortunately, however, the sensationally good crime drama is returning – and quite frankly, we’re itching to get stuck into it.

The second six-part series will see Happy Valley's Sophie Rundle return as detective Jo Marshall, and with a major fire - and flood - risk to deal with, as well as the discovery of a body in mysterious circumstances, she's certainly got her work cut out. With a gripping new storyline and some exciting new recruits joining the cast, something tells us series 2 is going to be a seriously good one.

As we await its arrival on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about After the Flood, including all the inside details about the new series…

What happened in After the Flood series 1?

Set in the fictional town of Waterside in Yorkshire, the drama picked up in the aftermath of a catastrophic flood. When an unidentified man was found dead in a lift in an underground car park, at first, the circumstances surrounding his death seemed somewhat normal – that was, until police discovered the victim didn’t actually die in the flood, but rather two days beforehand.

Over the course of six episodes, heavily pregnant detective-in-training PC Joanna Marshall, played by Sophie Rundle, became obsessed with discovering what happened to him – and why. In case you haven’t seen it, we won’t give away how the series concluded, but let’s just say we saw quite how far the residents of Waterside were willing to go to protect themselves.

What will happen in After the Flood series 2?

Happily, the second six-part series sees the brilliant Sophie Rundle return as newly promoted detective Jo Marshall - and when we meet her again, she’s on the trail of a "baffling" new murder investigation. Just as tensions are simmering in Waterside amid the increasingly threat of moorland fires and the risk of further flooding, a body is discovered in bizarre circumstances.

According to the official synopsis, "Jo’s race to stop the killer brings her into direct conflict with dark and influential forces within the town, ultimately drawing her into an investigation that becomes deeply personal. One that will require her to operate in secret if she is to have any hope of rooting out the corruption that has blighted the town’s police force – and her own family – for decades."

As well as the return of cast favourites, series 2 will introduce us to some new recruits, including The Long Shadow's Jill Halfpenny and Sherwood's Alun Armstrong. The show’s casting director Andy Pryor has put the brilliance of the show’s cast down to the “thrilling” plot that’s in store. “To attract such talented household names to the series is a testament to the brilliant writing by Mick Ford, once again writing such a thrilling story filled to the brim with interesting and compelling characters,” he says.

“We couldn’t be happier with the calibre of talent we have both returning and joining After the Flood for series two, each cast member is perfect for their role and we are looking forward to seeing how they bring their characters to life on screen”.

Who's in the cast of After the Flood series 2?

The returning cast of After the Flood series 2 includes:

• Sophie Rundle (Gentleman Jack, Peaky Blinders) as Jo Marshall
• Nicholas Gleaves (The Crown, The Rising) as Sergeant Phil Mackie
• Lorraine Ashbourne (Sherwood, Bridgerton) as Molly Marshall
• Philip Glenister (Belgravia) as Jack Radcliffe
• Matt Stokoe (The Bodyguard) as Jo’s husband Pat Holman
• Tripti Tripuraneni (House of the Dragon, Casualty) as PC Deepa
• Das Heider Ali (You Don’t Know Me) as DS Babak
• Leo Flanagan (Gentleman Jack) as Finn
• Jacqueline Boatswain (The Sandman) as Sarah Mackie
• Faye McKeever (Adolescence, The Responder) as Kelly Kamali
• George Bukhari (Ridley, Black Cab) as Keith Kamali
• Maui Connock (After the Flood) as their daughter Sophie Kamali

They will be joined by a host of new stars, including:

• Alun Armstrong (Sherwood) as Alan Benson
• Jill Halfpenny (The Long Shadow) as DS Sam Bradley
• Ian Puleston-Davies (Pennyworth, Tin Star) as Tony Rower
• Matthew McNulty (The Jetty) as Xav Palmer
• Oliver Nelson (The Gathering, Home Fires) as Declan Rower
• Roger Morlidge (The Bank of Dave) as Geoff Dixon,
• Lola Brown as Izza
• Tony Marshall (Casualty) as Fraser Tempest

Is After the Flood any good?

When the series first arrived on our screens, it had a lot of people (including us) wondering if it would be the “new” Happy Valley. It is set in a fictional Yorkshire town, after all. Truthfully, it didn’t turn out to be the new Happy Valley, but that’s not to say it isn’t any good. The strength is in its clever storyline and brilliant performances, notably Happy Valley’s Sophie Rundle’s star turn as PC Jo Marshall. It’s also a series that will sadly no doubt become increasingly relatable, as we see the real impact of climate change of the lives of residents in a small town.

How can I watch After the Flood series 2?

ITV hasn’t yet shared an official release date for After the Flood series 2, but we do know that filming is currently underway, so we’d expect it to arrive on our screens before the end of the year. In the meantime, you can catch up on the first series on ITVX.