DI Ray series 2 lands on ITV1 this autumn

Get ready for the return of one of ITV’s most gripping crime dramas as DI Ray is back for a second series.

New episodes will arrive on ITV1 and ITVX as part of its upcoming autumn / winter schedule from October.

Starring Parminder Nagra in the lead role of Detective Inspector Rachita Ray, the show promises to deliver even more tension and drama.

Parminder, known for her roles in Maternal, Blacklist, and ER, will once again tackle the complexities of Rachita’s world.

Created by Maya Sondhi, who you might recognise from Line of Duty, and produced by Jed Mercurio’s HTM Television, DI Ray has carved out a space as a must-watch thriller.

Set and filmed in Birmingham, the show not only captures the city’s unique atmosphere but also explores the challenging realities of modern policing.

Returning to our screens alongside Parminder are some familiar faces.

Gemma Whelan, who you’ll know from The Tower and Game of Thrones, reprises her role as DCI Kerry Henderson.

Ian Puleston-Davies is back as Superintendent Ross Beardsmore, and Steve Oram returns as the wry DS Clive Bottomley.

Also rejoining the team are Peter Bankole as DS Kwesi Edmund and Sam Baker-Jones as DC Liam Payne.

But it’s not just the returning cast we’re excited about.

The second series introduces us to a host of new characters.

Patrick Baladi, of Breeders and Line of Duty fame, joins as DI Patrick Holden.

Dinita Gohil takes on the role of Anita Choudhry, while Witney White plays DC Charlene Ellis.

Michael Socha steps in as Dave Chapman, and Syreeta Kumar plays Sharan Mochani, with Lauren Drummond and Taha Rahim rounding out the new cast as Suzie Chapman and Ravinder ‘Rav’ Mochani.

This time around, DI Ray will be plunged into the investigation of a high-profile criminal’s murder. But this isn’t just any case.

The sensitive ethnic issues tied to the crime ignite racial tensions, throwing Rachita into a deeply personal conflict.

As a British Asian woman and a police officer, Rachita must navigate this delicate situation, all while trying to prevent a full-blown turf war from tearing Birmingham apart.

The stakes are higher than ever, and DI Ray is right at the heart of it.