Starring Stephen Tompkinson, the six new episodes will feature three stories based on the novels by writer Peter Robinson and will begin filming in Leeds later this month.

Series 2 will see Caroline Catz (Doc Martin) join the cast as new character DI Helen Morton. With Andrea Lowe expecting her first child, the character of Annie will be seen heading off on maternity leave, but vowing to return to support Banks on future cases.

A mum of four, Morton is described as a “dedicated, serious minded detective, more at home behind a computer than in front of a suspect”, with her approach pushing Banks to the brink.

Producer Emma Kingsman-Lloyd (Lip Service) commented: “We’re delighted to be producing a second series of DCI Banks. Working with Stephen Tompkinson and the team is tremendously exciting and we hope to build on the success of Series 1.”

Lead writer Robert Murphy will return to adapt the opening episodes – Strange Affair. Dry Bones that Dream is being adapted by Rob Williams, while the final two-part story, Innocent Graves, will be adapted by Andrew Payne.

Following a pilot in 2010, Series 1 of DCI Banks aired on ITV1 last autumn.

> Buy the Series 1 DVD on Amazon.

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