Blue Lights series 3 is happening, with two new faces joining the cast of the BBC One police drama in 2025.

The Beeb has announced that Cathy Tyson and Michael Smiley have joined the award-winning drama, which has started filming in and around Belfast as of now.

So what else do we know about Blue Lights series 3, including cast, start date, location, and plot? Here's everything we know so far...

Is there a Blue Lights season 3?

Blue Lights will be returning in the future for a season 3 AND a season 4. The Beeb announced the decision even before the critically-acclaimed Belfast police drama had aired its second season.

Writers Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson said at the time: "We're thrilled that the BBC is committing to Blue Lights in this way. From the beginning, we wanted to write a show that had scale and ambition in its storytelling. And this decision gives us everything we need to do that."

We've now been told that the third run has started filming.

What is the plot?

Fans will know that the excellent police drama follows three new PSNI probationary recruits as they navigate their way through policing a uniquely complex city.

Series 3 catches up with Grace, Annie and Tommy two years into their jobs as response officers. They are now accustomed to life under the blue lights...But, we're told, "their work will take them into a sinister world hidden behind the veneer of middle-class life, the world of the accountants and lawyers who facilitate organised crime".

The old political and criminal order has gone and a new global gang rule Belfast, bringing danger closer to home for our officers than ever before.

Who is in the cast of Blue Lights series 3?

Leading lady Siân Brooke will reprise her role as Grace Ellis in series 3 of Blue Lights. She's best known for playing Karen Newman in Trying, Siân in Doctor Foster, and Deirdre Young in Good Omens.

Of course, the series wouldn't be the same without her co-star Martin McCann, who plays Stevie Neil. He played Bobby Barrett in Marcella, and most recently popped up as Wee Pat in Say Nothing.

Katherine Devlin will return as Annie Conlon. She recently played Emma Stoke in Day of the Jackal.

Meanwhile, Nathan Braniff will play Tommy Foster. It was his first ever TV role. Dead and Buried actress Joanne Crawford returns as Helen McNally.

Andi Osho's Sandra Cliff will be back, too, having made the decision not to leave Belfast in the emotional series 2 finale. Sick Note's Hannah McClean is also set to return as Jen Robinson.

Blue Lights series 3 will also star Frank Blake as Shane Bradley, Abigail McGibbon as Tina McIntyre, Dearbháile McKinney as Aisling, and Andrea Irvine as Nicola Robinson.

Who guest stars?

BBC One recently announced that Boiling Point and Vera star Cathy Tyson will join the cast of Blue Light series 3.

She'll be joined by Michael Smiley, who recently played morally ambiguous Roger Muldoon in Bad Sisters.

Nick Lambon, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor, UK & Northern Ireland, said: "It is a delight to watch Cathy and Michael seamlessly join our talented cast. The arrival of both characters marks the start of the most ambitious Blue Lights series yet, which will leave fans questioning everything they think they know about the response officers they have come to love…"

How many episodes is it?

Blue Lights series 3 will be six episodes of one hour each. The first three episodes will be directed by Jack Casey while actor/director Angela Griffin will direct the last three episodes. Of course, Angela is most famous for her acting roles in Corrie, and Waterloo Road.

Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, co-creators and executive producers, said: "We can't imagine better custodians of our creative vision than our brilliant series three directors Jack Casey and Angela Griffin. It's a privilege, as ever, to be back in Blackthorn."

Is Blue Lights worth watching?

Blue Lights is arguably one of the best police dramas on TV right now. Dare we even compare it favourably to the likes of Happy Valley. It's about policing in a troubled area but, more than that, it's about human relations and connections.

Series 2 averaged 5.6 million viewers across the series, while episode one's 7 million made it the BBC's fourth biggest drama launch in 2024.

In Northern Ireland, it was the biggest drama across the whole market (broadcasters and streamers), across 2023 and 2024.

Blue Lights series 2 recap

Series 2 of Blue Lights was set exactly a year after the dramatic conclusion of season 1. This time, Grace, Annie and Tommy faced new challenges as they matured as police officers. On the streets of Belfast, new gangs competed to fill the space left by the McIntyre gang – making policing more difficult than ever.

Seamus O'Hara played Lee Thompson, who sought to take over the drug-running – believing he had better intentions. However, it was always going to end in violence. Shocking scenes showed his young nephew Henry wielding a gun at Stevie and Grace. This was all caught on camera by shocked onlookers.

However, after a bit of deep-fakery by Lee, the footage made it look like his nephew was threatened by a mass swarm of armed police. The tension eventually led to a mass riot, where it was lucky more people didn't end up dead. Sadly, uncle Rab went into cardiac arrest during the police stand-off.

Back at the station, the team eventually found a link to Thompson and the Dixon murder. They realised the face covering worn by Dixon's killer was identical to one found with the dead body of military veteran Ian 'Soupy' Campbell. His ex-army comrade Lee Thompson asked to have an identical scarf as a token of their time serving in Afghanistan.

The scarf was subsequently found in the Mount Eden home, and linked Lee and Craig McQuarrie to Dixon's murder. However, when McQuarrie confessed, the cops still had nothing on Lee.

Although Lee got away with his part in Dixon's death, he was ousted from the community by his sister, furious that her son Henry was found in possession of Lee's gun. Elsewhere, Murray's underhand intelligence tactics were exposed.

Did Grace and Stevie get together?

After weeks of puppy-dog eyes, and longing looks, Grace and Stevie finally appeared to get together in the series 2 finale.

They shared a kiss in the precinct after Stevie returned to the station having put his life in danger on the frontline. Later, during after-work drinks, Stevie left early.

After some sage advice from Annie, who told Grace she "thinks too much", Grace grabbed her coat and followed Stevie out of the pub. When Stevie saw her, he asked: "Did I forget something?"

To which she replied: "Yeah, I think so, yeah." Viewers then saw Grace slip into the back of the cab, as Stevie smiled from ear to ear. As the taxi drove off, we saw Grace lean her head on Stevie's shoulder. Yes!

When will Blue Lights be back in 2025? What's the series 3 start date?

Blue Lights is currently filming in and around Belfast, where the show is set. That means we aren't expecting it to arrive on our screens until much later this year.

Blue Lights series 1 aired in March 2023, with series following in April 2024. Although BBC One has not confirmed a start date for series 3 yet, we'd be surprised if it doesn't land in 2025.

Series 1 and 2 are currently available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Blue Lights series 1 and 2 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Series 3 will land in 2025.