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Tom Bedford

Criminal Record season 2: plot and cast confirmed, plus everything else we know

Cush Jumbo in Criminal Record.

Six months after one of its cast members teased that it'd be returning, Apple TV Plus has confirmed that its British crime thriller Criminal Record will be getting a season 2 after all.

Criminal Record season 2 will bring back the two main stars of the original series (plus perhaps more) with another story set in modern London. These stars are Cush Jumbo as Peter Capaldi as two very different detectives working in East London.

The first season looked at a historic murder that may have seen the wrong person jailed for a crime. After nine episodes the Criminal Record ending seemingly wrapped up the tale of these two rivals, but it sounds like the story is still going.

This was back in January 2024, but in August, Apple confirmed the show as well as some important details. So here's what we know so far about Criminal Record season 2.

Criminal Record season 2 release date

No Criminal Record season 2 release date has been confirmed, and we don't know what stage of production it's in, but given that the first season came out in January 2024, it could be a while.

Some of Apple's shows have seen annual release cycles like many TV shows, but others haven't, so it's hard to guess at when we'll see the second season. Don't expect it before January 2025, though, as it'd be very unlikely that a new season takes less than a year to make.

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Criminal Record season 2 cast

Apple has confirmed that the first season's two leads will return for Criminal Record season 2.

These are Cush Jumbo as June Lenker and Peter Capaldi as Daniel Hegarty, who seemingly have had some position changes since the first season, in which they were a Detective Sergeant and Detective Chief Inspector respectively.

So who else could come back? Possible returning characters from the first season include:

  • Zoë Wanamaker as Maureen Lenker
  • Dionne Brown as Chloe Summers
  • Shaun Dooley as Kim Cardwell
  • Jordan A. Nash as Jacob Lenker
  • Ian Bonar as Roy Chambers

It's unlikely that we'll see the return of characters like Errol Mathis, Patrick Burrowes or Sonya Singh since their story has concluded, but we can't rule it out for good. Even characters who died in season 1 could return in flashbacks, with Criminal Record no stranger to full episodes set many years in the past.

Criminal Record season 2 plot

Apple has confirmed the story for Criminal Record season 2.

It'll follow a case that Lenker investigates, which sees a man dead after a rally finds themselves under attack by counter-protesters. In order to apprehend the murderer, Lenker needs to team up with Hegarty, who's become an important figure in police intelligence since the first season. 

While that's the main story, we'll likely see Hegarty and Lenker face the consequences of the first season's finale (spoilers ensue!). 

Criminal Record season 1 ends with the murderer being arrested... and then promptly gunned down in a drive-by shooting, as well as Daniel Hegarty. It looks like Hegarty's ex-partner, Kim Cardwell, may have tipped off these shooters.

Initially, it seems like Hegarty is the victim of his decision to turn over a new leaf and do the right thing... until Lenker realizes that Hegarty's remorse was all an act. She confronts him, and he simply smirks, suggesting that he's still got more secrets hidden.

Season 2 has to follow this final-scene twist, which reverses Hegarty's capitulation on the case. Hegarty has even more secrets that Lenker needs to reveal, and now they both know the lengths the veteran detective will go to in order to keep them buried. Lenker's in danger like never before, and most of her colleagues have now been alienated after the final few episodes.

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