BBC commissions the second season of Eleventh Hour Films’ crime drama Rebus, where Richard Rankin will reprise his role as Detective Sergeant John Rebus. Adapted from Ian Rankin’s acclaimed series of detective novels, the show follows Rebus, a detective known for bending the rules to unveil the truth.
In the upcoming season, Rebus will “explore the links between violent criminals involved in the drug trade in Edinburgh and the professional bourgeois world of law and finance, where police sometimes fear to tread.” Filming will again take place in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow, where the original stories are set.
The first season of the series, which premiered as a six-part series on BBC iPlayer in 2024, earned critical acclaim and strong viewership, attracting 6.3 million viewers across all platforms for its debut episode. Last month, it also won three RTS Scotland awards for Best Drama, Best Writer, and Best Director. Fans can now look forward to another thrilling chapter in Rebus’s story.
The original book series by Scottish author Ian Rankin has largely influenced the crime genre, beginning with Knots and Crosses (1987) and continuing through to the latest novel, Midnight and Blue (2024). Over 38 years, Rankin has written 25 novels and 37 short stories featuring the character.
The books were previously adapted for television in 2000, with John Hannah starring in the first season and Ken Stott as Rebus in the last three seasons. Produced by STV for the ITV network, the series ran until December 2007 and concluded after 4 seasons and 14 episodes.
In the second season of this new adaptation, Gregory Burke returns as the writer, while Ian Rankin, the author, will continue to serve as executive producer. About the second season, Burke has said, “I’m delighted to be given the chance by the BBC and Eleventh Hour Films to bring Rebus back to the nation’s TV screens once more. Ian Rankin’s character and body of work are the perfect materials with which to explore contemporary Scottish society and the turbulent world that surrounds it.”
The author Rankin adds, “Season one of Rebus ended on a cliffhanger. Only screenwriter Gregory Burke knows what happens next. So I’m hugely excited that season two will soon be with us. Rebus is back – mean, moody and as magnificent as ever!”
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland, commented: “We were blown away with the audience response to the new-look Rebus first time round so bringing it back for a second series was always a priority. The combination of brilliant storytelling, powerful performances and top class production values will make this new series must-see television. This commission is part of our recently announced strategy to bring more high impact scripted content from Scotland and we’re confident audiences will enjoy this next series as much as they did the first.”
