Blue Lights: A full recap of series three
You can binge all episodes now on BBC iPlayer
Last updated 5 hours ago
Following the success of the first two series of Blue Lights, fans were thrilled when a third arrived in 2025 bringing more action from the beloved BBC crime drama — and now a fourth is dropping VERY soon.
After bosses shared some first look photos from series three and the trailer earlier in 2025, series three finally arrived on screens on Monday 29th September that year. And now, ahead of the much-anticipated fourth series, here's your ultimate recap of series three...
When did series 3 come out?
The first episode aired at 9pm on Monday 29th September 2025 on BBC One, with weekly episodes every Monday night until 3rd November.
Sharing a new clip from the third series on 17th September, bosses wrote: 'Blue Lights is back!
'Watch the new series of #BlueLights on #iPlayer from 29 Sep 🚨🚓
'A group of response officers are thrust into a sinister world hidden behind the veneer of middle-class life, the world of the accountants and lawyers who facilitate organised crime. The old political and criminal order has gone and a new global gang rule Belfast, bringing danger closer to home for our officers than ever before'. (sic)
Lindsay Salt, BBC Director of Drama said: “We were bowled over by the reaction to Blue Lights and I’m really pleased to be confirming our commitment to bring two more series of our beloved Belfast drama to air. Adam and Declan have brilliant ideas about where to take the characters next and I can’t wait for viewers to see what’s in store.”
Was there a trailer?
Yes! The first trailer for Blue Lights series three dropped on Sunday 7th September 2025, alongside the caption: 'A group of response officers are thrust into a sinister world hidden behind the veneer of middle-class life, the world of the accountants and lawyers who facilitate organised crime. The old political and criminal order has gone and a new global gang rule Belfast, bringing danger closer to home for our officers than ever before.'
Check it out below:
What happened in Blue Lights series three?
Episode one: The Party
The third series is set two years after the rookie cops began life on the beat at the start of series one – and one year after the end of series two. Grace and Stevie’s relationship (Sian Brooke and Martin McCann) had continued to blossom since we last saw them and Stevie is asked in the first episode to do a trial shift as a skipper.
Episode one sees the crew called to a house party, where a toddler is found watching movies on a tablet, while people partied loudly around her. After witnessing partygoers doing drugs at the property, the officers made the call to remove the child from the situation for her safety and later end up looking after her back at the station.
Meanwhile elsewhere at a high-class event, an accountant called George McLelland (Conor Mullen) is rushed to hospital after overdosing on cocaine and collapsing on the floor.
Out on the street, Grace stumbled across a 17-year-old girl that she recognised from her days as a social worker. The girl, called Lindsay Singleton (Aoife Hughes), appeared to be hanging around with a drug runner called Sandy McKnight (Jack McBride-Marshall), who was taken in for questioning, after he tried to run away. He was later interviewed by the organised crime department.
Unable to get the young girl out of her mind, Grace visits the foster care facility where the girl had been living to see how she’s doing, but she wasn’t there. She is later found hanging around the park on her own and was reluctant to accept help from the police.
The drug runner is later revealed to be involved with some pretty dangerous people and is asked to visit Matchett’s Mill, along with Lindsay, later the same night. He makes an excuse to keep her safe and heads there alone. But before he can go, the organised crime team at the police station intervene and ask him to become an informant for them.
It’s then revealed the young drug runner answers to the same dealers that supplied drugs to the accountant who took an overdose – a man by the name Donal Fogerty (Charlie Maher).
At the end of the first episode, Grace and Stevie can be seen heading over to Matchett’s Mill following a reluctant tip-off from Lindsay. After calling for back-up, they were told to stay away, to avoid compromising the runner’s position as an informant. It ends with Donal Fogerty seemingly pushing the young runner from the roof, as punishment for getting himself questioned by police.
Episode two: Skipper
At the start of episode two, we see Lindsay packing a bag to run away, before she’s accosted by Donal Fogerty near her school. The dealer then warned Lindsay against running away and offered her a job in Dublin.
Meanwhile a complaint is made against officers Tommy Foster (Nathan Braniff) and Shane Bradley (Frank Blake) for accessing personal information on George McLelland’s mobile phone, while he lay in a hospital bed. Tommy denied the allegations but his statement is thrown into question, after CCTV footage is accessed from the hospital, showing Tommy watch Shane using the phone. The pair later fight in the station corridor.
Stevie steps into his new role, to much applause from his colleagues – while Annie (Katherine Devlin) and Aisling (Dearbhaile McKinney) are called out to a serious crash nearby. When Stevie inputs the two vehicle registration plates into the system back in the control room, it’s discovered one of the drivers is known to the police. He dies while being comforted by Aisling, who is left very shaken from the incident.
Also in episode two, George McLelland (the now-recovered accountant who overdosed on cocaine) is forced into sending dodgy money between bank accounts, by drug dealer Donal. When George asks to step away from now on, Donal threatens him with a video featuring George and young Lindsay, who it’s revealed he “met in a club”.
Tina McIntyre (Abigail McGibbon) also makes a re-appearance in series three, where it’s revealed she ‘handed the keys to the town’ to the organised crime group now running drugs through the area.
When delivering the news to the parents of the young driver, Ciaran O'Boyle (Paul Storrs), that their son has died in a car accident, a dangerous situation erupts outside. The father is revealed to be a dissident republican – and a van filled with criminals pulls up outside, putting the police officers in his house in danger.
Meanwhile a bomb is found under the Chief Superintendent Nicola Robinson’s car (Andrea Irvine) during a routine check.
NOW READ: Your ultimate guide to Blue Lights series 4
Episode three: The Bird
As the threat to the police remained high in episode three, tensions among staff were strained. The bomb discovered under the Chief Superintendent’s car is made safe, however elsewhere, Annie pulled out a gun on an innocent plumber outside her mum’s home, who she believed was acting suspiciously.
Drug dealer, Donal, is seen shipping a team of people off on boats, before telling his superior, Dana Morgan (Cathy Tyson), that young Lindsay won’t make it to Dublin like he’d promised. We later see him try to kidnap her outside her children’s home, which Grace and Stevie manage to intercept.
Meanwhile, Inspector Helen McNally (Joanne Crawford) undergoes a vetting interview for a role in Intelligence that DCI Collins (Michael Smiley) put her up for.
In this episode Annie’s mum passes away after an illness, which we see Annie struggle to come to terms with.
Officers also attend a residential property after a phone call is received from a child there. It turns out the house belongs to Chief Inspector Gavin Bunting (Richard Clements) from the neighbourhood department. Mr and Mrs Bunting insist the child made the call by accident, but when they turn to leave, the mother mentions the name Angela, a name which is internationally recognised as a cry for help.
Aisling later returned to the house alone after management decided not to investigate further. There she found the husband shouting angrily at his wife, before appearing to choke her. Aisling then entered the property and struck him with her baton.
Episode four: The Parting Glass
This episode centres around Lindsay and her opportunity to open up to police about the abuse she’s suffered at the hands of Donal and his gang. It’s discovered she’s been trafficked among wealthy men and forced to move drugs around. It’s during an emotional conversation that Grace opens up about her own past, which saw her end up in the care system.
Annie attends her mother’s funeral, but is called away in a hurry after a bullet is delivered in a box with the funeral flowers. The team back at the station put together a makeshift funeral instead and live stream the event, so she could attend safely from a distance.
We also continue to see Aisling struggle with the after-effects of watching a young man die in a car accident. She’s called in by senior staff after her reckless decision to visit a domestic threat alone. They ask her to hand in her gun and send her home while they decide how to proceed.
But Aisling continues to put herself in dangerous situations, then choosing to visit the house where the parents of the car crash victim live, despite the earlier threat of dissident groups watching the house. While there, Aisling is handed a list of names, which Tommy later puts in as intelligence against the group. Controversially, he also reports her to her seniors for her erratic behaviour. She’s sent away to recover, but tells Tommy as she leaves that it’s over between them.
In this episode, we also see former head of the local organised crime group, Tina McIntyre, meet with Dana Morgan, who is now calling the shots. Tina asked Dana to bring her back into the group. Tina is also seen meeting with police DCI Collins in secret – leading viewers to question whether he was working for the organised crime gang (OCG). He manages to convince the police to withdraw objection for Mo McIntyre’s release (Michael Shea) at his upcoming bail hearing. Fans may remember Mo is currently on remand for Police Constable Gerry Cliff’s murder (Richard Dormer), in season one.
Episode five: Ordo ab Chao
George McLelland is arrested for rape after Lindsay identified him, among others, as a man she was forced to ‘entertain’ during a party. She also reveals she delivered the cocaine which caused him to collapse at the party in season one.
While he was in for questioning, George revealed to his solicitor where he planned to lie low, following his bail, and his solicitor (also working for the OCG) shares this information with the crime ring, who put a target on the car taking him home, driven by Grace. This is understandably a fraught situation for her partner and skipper, Stevie, who listens on as the Intelligence team guide Grace’s car to safety, taking out the shooters with armed response officers. Following the incident, the threat level is raised across the city.
Elsewhere, Shane, Annie and Tommy are thrown into a dangerous situation when a woman who has taken cocaine in a restaurant begins to act paranoid and starts to threaten officers. In a scuffle, Shane is stabbed in the thigh with a broken wine glass and Annie has to fight to save his life while taking advice from a 999 call handler.
Later at the hospital, Shane’s father joined Annie, as she was told the doctors have managed to stabilise him, but he may still lose his leg.
Episode 6: World of Our Own
In the final episode, we saw Donal Fogerty force Tina McIntyre to meet him at a quarry, where she believed he planned to end her life. Having put her affairs in order before she headed off, Tina told her son Mo that she’d send somebody to protect him. In a surprising twist at the quarry though, a shooter appeared on the hill who takes out Donal and his footman just as he was about to shoot Tina. The shooter is then revealed as season two’s Lee Thompson (Seamus O'Hara), a loyalist who became more and more dangerous as the series progressed.
Although the immediate threat by the dangerous crime ring (fronted by Fogerty) has been neutralised, the season ends with Tina McIntyre and Dana Morgan meeting in a park, suggesting they would continue on the same path united.
Meanwhile Shane has managed to regain feeling in his leg and later returned to the police station where he was greeted by a very funny rendition of his favourite song, Westlife’s ‘World of Our Own’.
Helen is promoted into a position which aligns both intelligence and frontline policing. Meanwhile Chief Superintendent Nicola Robinson has returned to the station, after the threat to her family is considered over – and Grace and Stevie share a romantic breakfast after a difficult few weeks in their relationship.
Check out the first look photos from Blue Lights series three below:
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
Blue Lights series 3 first look
NOW READ: Everything you need to know about BBC's crime drama Blue Lights
Will there be more series?
Blue Lights, which is filmed and set in Belfast, was so popular after the first series that bosses announced the news it had been renewed for a third and fourth, before series two actually aired.
Whilst fans were patiently awaiting series two, BBC bosses wrote on social media: '🚨 Blue Lights series 3 and 4 CONFIRMED! The BBC has ordered two more six-part series of the critically acclaimed Belfast-based police drama'. (sic)'
The fourth series is set to arrive on screens on Tuesday 29th September 2026.
When was filming?
In a post on Instagram on Friday 7th February 2025, the BBC revealed filming for series three was underway. The post read: 'It’s official - cameras are now rolling in and around Belfast on Blue Lights series 3!
'Cathy Tyson and Michael Smiley have joined the cast as filming begins on the third series of the multi award-winning Belfast-based drama.'
In mid-April 2025, fans spotted the show being filmed at Amelia Hall in Belfast City Centre, check out the photos below:
Blue Lights series 3 filming at Amelia Hall in Belfast City Centre
Blue Lights series 3 filming at Amelia Hall in Belfast City Centre
Blue Lights series 3 filming at Amelia Hall in Belfast City Centre
Blue Lights series 3 filming at Amelia Hall in Belfast City Centre
Who were the new characters in series three?
Cathy Tyson (Boiling Point and Dune: Prophecy) and Michael Smiley (Bad Sisters and Censor) joined the cast of Blue Lights for the third series of the multi award-winning Belfast-based drama.
On Wednesday 3rd September 2025, bosses confirmed Cathy Tyson had joined the cast as a private members club owner, Dana Morgan, and Michael Smiley as new intelligence officer Paul ‘Colly’ Collins.
The critically acclaimed show also stars returning cast Siân Brooke (Grace), Martin McCann (Stevie), Katherine Devlin (Annie), Nathan Braniff (Tommy), Joanne Crawford (Helen), Andi Osho (Sandra), Frank Blake (Shane), Abigail McGibbon, (Tina) Dearbháile McKinney (Aisling) and Andrea Irvine (Nicola).
Appearing on The One Show alongside co-star Siân Brooke, Katherine Devlin, who plays the role of Annie Conlon, said: "It's my favourite season, to be honest," as she discussed what fans could expect.
What channel is it on?
Just like the first two series, Blue Lights series three aired on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The first three series of Blue Lights are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
Now check out all the best crime dramas to binge right now:
Blue Lights (BBC iPlayer)
Set and filmed in Northern Ireland, Blue Lights follows three rookie police officers working in Belfast. All episodes of series one-three are available now. The show will return for a fourth series later in 2026.
The Capture (BBC iPlayer)
After series one aired in 2019, the BBC released series two of hit drama The Capture in 2022, featuring Holliday Grainger, Ron Perlman and Lia Williams. Following a few years break, The Capture returned for a third series in March 2026.
Gone (ITVX and STV Player)
Arriving in March 2026, Eve Myles and David Morrissey star in gripping drama Gone. Set against the backdrop of a prestigious private school, a foreboding forest and the quiet sprawl of Bristol, Gone, is a chilling mystery focusing on local Headmaster Michael Polly, played by David Morrissey, who becomes the prime suspect in his wife Sarah's disappearance. All episodes from series one are available to watch now.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITVX and STV Player)
Arriving in early 2024, Mr Bates vs The Post Office is a four-part series based on the real-life story of postmaster Alan Bates, who led the campaign to expose what is considered the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history. Toby Jones, Katherine Kelly, Will Mellor, and Julie Hesmondhalgh all appear.
Kin (BBC iPlayer)
Series one of Irish drama Kin landed on BBC iPlayer in 2023 and viewers have been hooked since! Starring Charlie Cox, Clare Dunne and Emmett J. Scanlan, the drama tells the story of a fictional Dublin family embroiled in gangland war and speaks to the enduring unbreakable bonds of blood and family. Series two is also now available on BBC iPlayer, with a third series now in the works!
I Fought The Law (ITVX and STV Player)
Based on Ann Ming's book For The Love of Julie, I Fought The Law aired on ITV/STV in September 2025, starring Sheridan Smith as Ann. The series recounts the real-life story of how mother-of-three Ann Ming battled for 15 years so that her daughter's murderer could finally face justice, having been controversially acquitted following two mistrials. All episodes are available on ITVX and STV Player now.
The Guest (BBC iPlayer)
Starring Eve Myles and Gabrielle Creevy, The Guest is a four-part series which aired on BBC in September 2025. The Guest is a fast-paced story that centres on the toxic and beguiling relationship between a successful business owner, Fran (Eve Myles), and her employee, Ria (Gabrielle Creevy). All episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
This City Is Ours (BBC iPlayer)
Starring Sean Bean, Julie Graham, James Nelson Joyce and Hannah Onslow, gangster TV drama This City Is Ours first aired on 2025 and was a huge hit. The show has now been renewed for a second series, which is expected to land later in 2026.
The Hack (ITVX and STV Player)
From the producers behind Mr Bates vs The Post Office, The Hack explores the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World, which led to the closure of the newspaper in 2011. The seven-part series stars Toby Jones, Robert Carlyle and David Tennant. All episodes are on ITVX and STV Player now.
In Flight (Channel 4)
Starring Katherine Kelly as flight attendant Jo, In Flight debuted on Channel 4 in August 2025. When her teenage son is jailed for murder in Bulgaria, she enters a murky world of drug smuggling and will stop at nothing to save him. All episodes are available now on Channel 4's streaming service.
The Bombing of Pan Am 103 (BBC iPlayer)
BBC bosses commissioned a drama series called The Bombing of Pan Am 103 in 2025, which tells the tragic story of the 1988 disaster of Pan Am Flight 103, which was the deadliest terrorist attack in British history. The six-part series stars Connor Swindells, Merritt Wever and Patrick J. Adams.
Joan (ITVX and STV Player)
Six-part drama Joan was written by Anna Symon and is set against the vibrant and aspirational backdrop of 1980s London. Inspired by the real Joan Hannington and certain events from her life, this exhilarating and emotional drama unravels the life of a 'MOTHER. LOVER. LIAR. THIEF', played by actress Sophie Turner.
All six episodes are now available on ITVX and STV Player.
Red Eye (ITVX and STV Player)
Starring Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi, ITV/STV's adrenaline-filled drama Red Eye is set on an overnight flight from London to Beijing and the corridors of power within Whitehall. Fans were quick to binge the six-part drama when it aired in April 2024. The series was renewed for a second series, with Martin Compston joining the cast. Series two aired in January 2026, with all episodes available now.
Vigil (BBC iPlayer)
It was the BBC's most-watched new drama of 2021, so you don't want to miss out on Vigil, starring Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie. Series two was released in December 2023, with all episodes now available to binge. In February 2025, BBC bosses announced the show had been renewed for a third series, with new eps dropping in August 2026.
Until I Kill You (ITVX and STV Player)
Starring Anna Maxwell Martin, Until I Kill You is based on the extraordinary true story of Delia Balmer, who survived a near-fatal relationship with serial killer John Sweeney. The four-part drama started in November 2024, with all episodes now available on ITVX and STV Player.
Nightsleeper (BBC iPlayer)
Starring Joe Cole and Alexandra Roach, Nightsleeper is a six-part thriller Nightsleeper follows a 'hackjacked' train which is being driven through one single night from Glasgow to London. All episodes are available on BBC iPlayer now.
Love & Death (ITVX and STV Player)
Starring Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons, Love & Death is a mini-series which follows the real-life story of the murder case surrounding Candy Montgomery, who killed her friend Betty Gore, following an affair with her husband Allan.
Candy (Channel 4)
Based on the same story as ITV drama Love & Death, Candy stars Jessica Biel, Melanie Lynskey and Pablo Schreiber, based on the shocking real-life story of a murder that shattered a small Texas town in 1980.
The Tourist (BBC iPlayer)
Viewers were hooked on BBC series The Tourist in early 2022, starring Northern Irish actor Jamie Dornan. Series two landed on New Year's Day in 2024, with all episode available to binge now.
Trigger Point (ITVX and STV Player)
Vicky McClure plays the role of EXPO officer Lana Washington in high octane drama Trigger Point. All four series are available to watch now!
After the Flood (ITVX and STV Player)
Landing on ITV/STV in the first few weeks of January 2024, After the Flood stars Peaky Blinders actress Sophie Rundle as PC Joanna Marshall. The six-part series follows Joanna leading an investigation after she finds an identified man dead in a lift in a underground car park after a devastating flood. Series two landed in January 2026.
Protection (ITVX and STV Player)
Protection is six-part series staring Siobhan Finneran, Nadine Marshall and Katherine Kelly, and is based on first-hand experiences of a long-serving witness protection officer. The series first hit our screens in March 2025 and it's now available to stream on ITVX and STV Player.
The Wives (Channel 5)
The Wives is a six-part whodunnit style drama which aired on Channel 5 in mid-September 2024, with a star-studded cast including Jo Joyner, Tamzin Outhwaite, and Angela Griffin. All episodes are available to stream now on My 5.
The Fall (BBC iPlayer)
Despite originally airing in 2013, The Fall, starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan, became a big hit again during lockdown in 2020, and now all three series of the hit show are available to binge on the BBC iPlayer.
The Teacher (Channel 5)
After series aired in 2022, featuring Sheridan Smith, series two of Channel 5 drama The Teacher aired in September 2024. Series two features Will Mellor, Kara Tointon and Emmett J. Scanlan. All episodes from both series are available on My5 now. The anthology series will return for a third series very soon!
The Long Shadow (ITVX and STV Player)
The Long Shadow follows the five-year manhunt for the serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, commonly referred to as The Yorkshire Ripper. The seven-part drama stars the likes of Katherine Kelly, Charley Webb, Mark Stobbart, Liz White and Toby Jones.
Inside Man (BBC iPlayer)
Starring David Tennant and Stanley Tucci, BBC drama Inside Man has left viewers on the edge of their seats with lots of twists and turns.
Ridley (ITVX and STV Player)
Adrian Dunbar stars as lead character Ridley, a former detective. The first series was very popular with fans, with series two landing in August 2025. You can watch Ridley on ITVX and STV Player.
The Suspect (ITVX and STV Player)
Aidan Turner stars clinical psychologist Dr Joe O'Loughlin in ITV/STV drama The Suspect.
Karen Pirie (ITVX and STV Player)
Debuting in early September, drama Karen Pirie has been a massive hit with fans, as Karen and her team must overcome the judgement of her superiors and find the culprit in time.
Crossfire (BBC iPlayer)
Keeley Hawes stars in BBC drama Crossfire which sees a holiday turn from heaven to hell with a gunshot - and the consequences will linger long after the final bullets are fired.
The Responder (BBC iPlayer)
The drama follows Martin Freeman's character, a night-shift copper under stress in Liverpool, as he pairs up with the local rookie. Series one dropped in 2022, with series two landing in 2024. All episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Happy Valley (BBC iPlayer)
Now the third and final series has come to an end, you can watch series one-three on the BBC iPlayer now.
Manhunt: The Night Stalker (ITVX and STV Player)
Martin Clunes plays the role of Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton as he portrays the real-life investigation into the serial burglar and rapist who terrorised South London for 17 years.
Line of Duty (BBC iPlayer)
If you fancy re-watching the previous series of Jed Mercurio's Line of Duty, you can binge series one-six on the BBC iPlayer now! In November 2025, the BBC confirmed AC-12 will return in 2027, with a brand new seventh series.
Time (BBC iPlayer)
Originally airing on the BBC in June 2021, fans were loving this drama featuring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham. In 2023, a second series landed, this time taking place in an all-female prison, starring Jodie Whittaker, Bella Ramsay, and Siobhan Finneran. The BBC have now confirmed a third series, with David Tennant.
All episodes from both series are now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Marcella (ITVX and STV Player)
Following the cliffhanger ending to series three of ITV's hit drama Marcella, fans are crying out for a fourth series. Although nothing has been confirmed just yet, you can re-watch series three on ITVX/STV Player.
Coma (Channel 5)
Hitting our screens in March 2024, Coma is a four-part thriller which concerns a family man whose life is changed after making one split-second decision. Jason Watkins and Claire Skinner star in the series.
Deadwater Fell (All4)
Channel 4 delighted us with dark crime thriller Deadwater Fell in 2020, starring David Tennant, Cush Jumbo, Matthew McNulty and Anna Madeley. Series one is available to watch on All4.
The Bay (ITVX and STV Player)
There's so far been five successful series of The Bay. All episodes are now available on ITVX and STV Player. The show has already been renewed for a sixth series, with filming due to begin in Spring 2026.
Bloodlands (BBC iPlayer)
Created by Line of Duty writer Jed Mercurio and starring Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt, Bloodlands was a big hit at the start of 2021. All episodes from series one are available on the BBC iPlayer now.
The Missing (BBC iPlayer)
Another hit crime drama by the talented brothers Harry and Jack Williams. The Missing first aired in 2014, with series 2 landing two years later. Despite both series following different stories, a number of characters remain the same, including Tchéky Karyo as investigator Julien Baptiste. Both series are now available on the BBC iPlayer.
Luther (BBC iPlayer)
As we wait for any more series of hit crime drama Luther, re-watch all six series with actor Idris Elba playing the role of DCI John Luther.
Unforgotten (ITVX and STV Player)
You can catch up on all six previous series of crime drama Unforgotten, before series seven lands in 2026.
The Bridge (BBC iPlayer)
Originally released back in 2011 in Sweden and Denmark, all four series of The Bridge are now available on the BBC iPlayer.
The Pembrokeshire Murders (ITVX and STV Player)
Featuring popular actor Luke Evans as Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins, this three-part miniseries based on the real life Pembrokeshire murders by Welsh serial killer John Cooper is available to watch now.
The Investigation (BBC iPlayer)
Originally from Denmark, series 1 of BBC drama The Investigation is based on the real-life murder case of Swedish journalist Kim Wall in 2017. All six episodes are available now on the BBC iPlayer.
Vera (ITVX and STV Player)
Fans catch catch Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope in all 13 series.
Silent Witness (BBC iPlayer)
If you are looking for something to keep you going for a while, Silent Witness is certainly a good shout! A massive 23 series of the hit show are available to watch on the BBC iPlayer.
Better (BBC iPlayer)
Debuting on the BBC in February 2023, Leeds-based drama Better is 'a thrilling redemption story' featuring Leila Farzad as DCI Lou Slack, and Andrew Buchan as Col McHugh.
Litvinenko (ITVX and STV Player)
Starring David Tennant, this four-part ITVX/STV Player drama documents the story of the murder of Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
The Gold (BBC iPlayer)
Starring Hugh Bonneville, Dominic Cooper, Charlotte Spencer and Sean Harris, BBC drama The Gold is a dramatisation of events around the Brink's-Mat robbery in 1983. There's been two series so far and both are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
Love Rat (Channel 5)
Sally Lindsay and Neil Morrissey appear in Channel 5 drama Love Rat, which first aired in March 2024. All four episodes are available to binge now.
Virdee (BBC iPlayer)
Set in Bradford, Virdee is a six-part crime thriller series featuring Staz Nair as DCI Harry Virdee. Detective Harry Virdee is a detective hunting down a killer targeting the Asian community in Bradford. Series one is available on BBC iPlayer now.
Showtrial (BBC iPlayer)
The drama was first released in October 2021 with a cast including Tracy Ifeachor and Céline Buckens. Years later, BBC bosses announced they'd developed Showtrial into an anthology series, with the second series airing in 2024 with a new cast. Series one and two are available to stream now.
Under The Bridge (ITVX and STV Player)
Canadian true crime drama Under The Bridge arrived on ITVX/STV Player in 2025 and became an instant hit. The series is based on the book of the same name by Rebecca Godfrey, about the 1997 murder of teenager Reena Virk.
Code of Silence (ITVX and STV Player)
Starring Rose Ayling-Ellis, Andrew Buchan and Charlotte Ritchie, 2025 series Code of Silence is about a deaf civilian volunteering to help police with her lip reading skills. Due to the show's instant success, it has been renewed for a second series! Whilst we wait, you can watch the first series on ITVX and STV Player now.
Believe Me (ITVX and STV Player)
Believe Me follows the real-life story of one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders, John Worboys — and his brave victims. Played by actor Daniel Mays, the story recounts the crimes committed in the years before his conviction in 2009, while he drove a black cab in London.
Author: Amy Shephard
Amy Shephard is an SEO Writer for Rayo brands, including Hits Radio, KISS, Magic Radio and Greatest Hits Radio. Starting her media career in 2011, she joined Bauer Media in 2023 as a reporter before moving over to entertainment news. She specialises in movies and TV dramas, and enjoys a range of music across all decades and genres.