Eight new episodes were commissioned last November following the success of the period drama’s first series.

Set a year after the dramatic events that saw Moray declare his love for Denise and break off his engagement to Katherine Glendenning, Series 2 sees Joanna Vanderham reprise her role as Denise Lovett, while Emun Elliot returns as Moray. Elaine Cassidy is also back as the spurned Katherine. The new series will see all three characters locked in a love triangle battling for control of The Paradise.

Law & Order: UK star Ben Daniels will play Katherine’s new husband, Tom Weston, an enigmatic former soldier. The actor also played Tristan in Merlin‘s fourth series.

Daniels commented: “I’m a huge Émile Zola fan and when Bill Gallagher said he was writing a new character for The Paradise and had me in mind for the role, I knew I wanted to play Tom Weston before I’d even read a word of the script. Tom’s a fascinating animal and will certainly be ruffling a few feathers (and silks!) along the way. I’m really looking forward to the next few months of filming.”

Also joining the cast as series regulars are Lisa Millett (Five Daughters) as new cook Myrtle, Katie Moore (Merlin) as Susy, Edie Whitehead as Tom’s daughter Flora, Adrian Scarborough (Upstairs, Downstairs) as Fenton, Kevin Guthrie as Nathanial, and Branka Katic as Clemence.

Are you looking forward to Series 2? Let us know below…

> Buy Series 1 on DVD on Amazon.

Watch the Series 1 trailer…