"The BBC at its best”: Top-rated crime drama Strike is returning with some familiar faces

It’s the hit crime drama that critics have called “the BBC at its best” and now the broadcaster's top-rated series, Strike, is coming back for more. Say hello to Strike: The Running Grave, the seventh book in the Cormoran Strike series to get the TV treatment, which is, very excitingly, bringing some familiar faces with it.

Tom Burke and The Capture's Holliday Grainger are set to reprise their roles as Detective Cormoran Strike and his trusty assistant Robin Ellacott – and they’ve got quite the job on their hands in the new series. Series 7 will see the pair tasked with helping a worried father rescue his son from a religious cult in the Norfolk countryside, with Robin quite literally entering the cult herself.

Ahead of Strike: The Running Grave’s arrival on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about Strike and the upcoming seventh series.

What is the Strike TV series about?

The beloved crime drama is based on the Cormoran Strike book series, written by J. K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The first series, The Cuckoo's Calling, aired on BBC One in 2017 and was an instant hit with audiences.

For those new to the series, the drama follows private investigator and war veteran Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke) and his assistant Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger), who use their unique skills and backgrounds to investigate complex cases that the London police are unable to solve. Six series have aired to date, including The Silkworm and The Ink Black Heart. Kerr Logan, Killian Scott, Ben Crompton and Natasha O’Keeffe have also been among the recurring cast.

What will happen in Strike: The Running Grave?

As we mentioned, the new series is based on the seventh book in the Cormoran Strike series and it’s been reported that Strike: The Running Grave will see the return of Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger as Detective Cormoran Strike and his business partner Robin Ellacott. The seventh instalment will see Strike contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has joined a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.

On the surface, the Universal Humanitarian Church is peaceful organisation that campaigns for a better world – but, we should warn it, it certainly isn’t. As Strike discovers, beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and questions are raised about the true nature of the organisation, including its connection with a series of unexplained deaths.

In an attempt to rescue Will, Robin Ellacott decides to infiltrate the cult, travelling to Norfolk to live incognito amongst them. But she’s not exactly unprepared for the dangers that await her – or the devastating impact it will have on her. If the storyline is anything to go by, something tells us Strike series 7 is going to be a very good one indeed…

Who’s starring in Strike: The Running Grave?

As we mentioned, Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger are both expected to reprise their roles. No further cast members have been announced, but we’re expecting more details to be released shortly, so watch this space.

Is the Strike TV series any good?

Yes – it helps that the source material is so brilliant, of course. In fact, all seven Strike novels topped the national and international bestseller lists and the series has sold in total more than 20 million copies worldwide across all editions. The TV adaptations have been a huge hit with audiences, becoming one of the UK's most watched dramas. Critics have called it “an extraordinarily fine drama”, “the BBC at its best” and “brilliantly acted”. Here’s hoping we get more of the same from series 7.

How can I watch Strike: The Running Grave?

The BBC hasn’t yet shared a release date for Strike: The Running Grave, but we do know that the series is currently in pre-production and is due to commence filming in the autumn. We’d therefore expect it to arrive on our screens at some point in 2026. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we'll share it here. In the meantime, you can catch up on series 1-6 on BBC iPlayer.