ITV has confirmed that hit crime drama Karen Pirie will be returning for a third season, with Lauren Lyle once again taking on the title role of the bumbag-wearing detective investigating Scotland's cold cases.
The acclaimed drama launched in 2022, with Outlander star Lyle starring as DS Karen Pirie, who was tasked with investigating the unsolved murder of a barmaid. The cast included Chris Jenks as DC Jason 'Mint' Murray, Zach Wyatt as DS Phil Parhatka and Emer Kenny, who also wrote the series, as Karen's friend, Dr River Wilde.
The show is based on Val McDermid's crime novels, with the first season using the book The Distant Echo as its source material, and the second using A Darker Domain. The upcoming third season will be based on The Skeleton Road.
While the first two seasons were made up of three 90-minute episodes each, ITV and World Productions has announced that season 3 will be made up of six one-hour episodes, written by Scottish screenwriter Gillian Roger Park, who is best known for The Bombing of Pan Am 103 and The Young Offenders.
"I’m delighted to be taking the reins on Karen Pirie for series three as she takes on her darkest and most challenging case yet," Park said. "The incomparable Val McDermid has created a truly distinctive and enduring character in Karen and it’s a real honour to follow Emer [Kenny], whose brilliant adaptation brought Karen’s world to the screen over two successful series. As a Scottish writer, I’m especially thrilled to continue showcasing modern Scotland and to write for Lauren, who plays Karen with such wit and fresh energy.”
According to ITV, the third season, which will begin filming in the new year, begins with the discovery of a man's remains hidden in the roof of a derelict Edinburgh building. Pirie learns the victim fled the Balkans conflict of the 1990s for the safety of Scotland to marry a now-famous author. As the investigation develops, Karen unearths dangerous secrets and a vicious cycle of revenge as someone takes justice into their own hands.
"Playing Karen Pirie has become one of the most delicious thrills of my career and knowing that people of the world want more of her and her bumbag is an absolute honour," Lauren Lyle said.
View Green Video on the source website"With the added joy of getting to put my executive producer hat on for season 3, I can finally, much like Karen, whip all those higher up’s in to shape. In all seriousness, I’m so grateful to be bringing more Karen Pirie to our screens. Season 3 feels even more elevated, with an even wilder story full of thrills, twists, and of course, plenty of eye rolls.”"
Lyle joins the producing team this series that also includes World Productions CEO Simon Heath, lead writer Gillian Park and Karen Pirie author Val McDermid, who gave her blessing for her novels to be adapted for the screen.
"I’m thrilled to hear that plans are so far advanced for Karen Pirie series three," she said. "The Skeleton Road is a favourite with many readers, so it’ll be particularly exciting to see it adapted. I feel very privileged to have such a talented team bringing my books to a wider audience and I can’t wait to see what they make of it."
Karen Pirie series 1 and 2 are available to stream on ITVX.
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