Blue Lights Season 2: Big TV Show Now Filming in Belfast

Updated On: November 10, 2023 by   Marwa Abdel Moniem

It seems Blue Lights will be flashing again soon, with a second season set to air as early as 2024. Building on the skyrocketing success of the first season, the BBC’s cop drama is returning for another run that will take your breath away. Filming has already started in Belfast, a perfect backdrop for a story that unfolds in Northern Ireland, and the locations are soon to be announced.

Insights into where the scenes are being filmed have been coming in, though, with cameras seen rolling at different settings in Dundonald, east of Belfast. We have some information that we would like to share here, so keep on reading!

The finale of season one has left the audience on tenterhooks. Excitement is mounting as the countdown for the new episodes begins. Here is what you need to know about season one before the second series starts!

A Recap of Season One of Blue Lights 

Set in Belfast, season one of Blue Lights centred around three rookie officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) attempting to fight criminal gangs and enforce the law in an anything-but-safe environment.

Grace Ellis, the lead character, is a mother in her 40s who made a career shift from a social worker to a police officer and, together with newcomers Annie Conlon and Tommy Foster, now has to prove herself on the job. The three officers are under pressure to establish themselves as members of the PSNI.

The antagonists in this show are the McIntyre gang, who were arrested in the final episode of Blue Lights’ season one. 

Ending in a climactic finale with the death of Police Constable Gerry Cliff, the first instalment of Blue Lights has been nominated for Best New Drama at the National Television Awards 2023. The show, which was directed by Gilles Bannier and written by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, was one of the BBC’s top-rated, attracting an average of 6.4 million viewers. 

Who Is Who in Season Two?

With the death of Police Constable Gerry Cliff, Richard Dormer will be missed in the second season of Blue Lights. Some of the stars, however, are reprising their roles in season two.

• Siân Brooke reprises her role as the steadfast probationer Grace Ellis.
• Katherine Devlin is also back in the second season as Annie Conlon, a comrade of Grace Ellis.
• Nathan Braniff keeps his role as Tommy Foster, who was one of the trio of police officers in the centre of the events. 
• Martin McCann still plays the role of Constable Stevie Neil, who could be seen as the lone wolf of the show.
• Joanne Crawford continues to hold the role of Helen McNally, a mentor whose life was very much in the police station. 
• Andi Osho is Sandra Cliff, who was the main custody sergeant and wife of Police Constable Gerry Cliff, who died at the end of the first season of Blue Lights. 

Taking off from where season one ended, the second series of Blue Lights is clearly heralding a new phase in the career of the three PSNI officers, who are now more determined than ever to complete their mission after the death of Police Constable Gerry Cliff. 

The three officers will delve into new cases throughout the six episodes of this season. But as the story evolves, viewers will also get insight into the personal lives, struggles and insecurities of each of the characters. 

The Whereabouts of Blue Lights Season Two

It goes without saying that a police story set in Northern Ireland will be filmed in Northern Ireland.

Belfast was the chosen location for season one, and it continues to be the setting of events that will take place in season two.  

The BBC has confirmed the news! The second series of Blue Lights will be filmed in Belfast in the summer of 2023 and will be released in six episodes in 2024.

While the plot takes the viewers through the ins and outs of police life in Northern Ireland, the cameras capture the locations where the events evolve against a backdrop that perfectly reflects what it is like to be a member of the PSNI. 

The characters will dive into new criminal cases that will be investigated and unravelled in locations in the bustling city of Belfast. This BBC show will surely thrust Belfast onto TV screens, as well as the police experience in Northern Ireland. Many stories are yet to be told, and many scenes are yet to be captured in the vibrant and dynamic Belfast. 

Blue Lights Crew Spotted Filming in Dundonald 

Rumour has it that the cameras are rolling in areas east of Belfast, particularly Dundonald. The production team was spotted filming a group of fictional constables who were likely heading toward what looked like a crime scene in the Tullycarnet district of Dundonald.

Other shots were reportedly filmed in the Granton Park housing estate, which might be an alternative location to a spot in Northern Ireland. Cameramen were shooting next to a mural that read: “Drugs Destroy Lives”. 

New pictures from the set show the PSNI officers attending a possible crime scene. We still need more details about the second series, but news is circulating that it will focus on loyalist paramilitaries in Belfast. 

What Is Dundonald Famous for?

Dundonald is considered a hub of the new housing estates of Northern Ireland. This large settlement, which translates into “stronghold” in English, is located in east Belfast. Although it is often deemed as a suburb of the city, Dundonald remains a perfect go-to place for family activities and fun. 

Moat Park

A visit to Moat Park in the heart of Dundonald is highly recommended if you are the walker type. You can enjoy a stroll around this green oasis, which features a wide range of flowering plants.

Hydro-Ease

While in Dundonald, you must book a floating session at Hydro-Ease. Now, this is the place to unwind and relax in a cabin filled with water and Epsom salt. We are talking about 25 centimetres of water and half a tonne of Epsom salt that will surely help you recharge, reset and reconnect. 

The Dundonald International Ice Bowl

If you are visiting with your family, the Dundonald International Ice Bowl is the perfect venue for every member — there are numerous activities for adults and children alike. Dundonald International Ice Bowl has the only Olympic-size ice rink in the whole of Northern Ireland. So, put your skates on and let the fun begin!

Dundonald International Ice Bowl also guarantees an unforgettable tenpin bowling experience. You will get a good treat of strikes at this 30-lane bowling centre. You can even choose to play in the dark with glow balls available in Xtreme Bowling Sessions. 

Catering to children under the age of 12, Dundonald International Ice Bowl has an Indiana Land that includes many hidden tunnels and rope bridges. Your children will safely and freely fall down a giant vertical slide. It will be such an exciting adventure for the young ones.

The Escapade HQ

This escape room in Dundonald offers the best experience in Northern Ireland. Visitors of all ages will surely enjoy challenges through five escape rooms at Escapade HQ. You are in for an unforgettable exit game. 

Belfast and the Filming Industry

Not only is Belfast a good destination for tourists, but it is also a favourable location for filmmakers. Blue Lights season two is one of many TV shows being filmed in Belfast this year.

The grand comeback of top-rated Blue Lights is expected to bring Belfast, Northern Ireland, in general, under further spotlight. Bit by bit, Belfast is becoming the European Hollywood. 

It was Game Of Thrones that introduced Belfast as an excellent setting for filming. Besides a variety of scenic backdrops, Belfast also has more than enough studio space for internal shootings, making the job of filmmakers much easier. 

The city proudly boasts the world-class Belfast Harbour Studios. With about 125,000 square feet of studios and workshops, Belfast Harbour is now a partner of Netflix. Netflix is set to use that vast space in Belfast Harbour Studios to film its first movie.

It is this combination of beautiful landscapes and state-of-the-art studios that has made Belfast the perfect choice for filmmakers who want to have their cameras rolling in a European location.

Now on the global TV map, Belfast is undoubtedly not to be missed! Belfast’s good reputation for best locations and studios does spill over into the shows being filmed there. Whereas the plot plays a big part in a successful show, the backdrops against which the events unfold complete the picture. This is very much the case with the eagerly awaited second series of Blue Lights. But for now, all we have to do is wait for the big release date!