The Rose Ayling-Ellis-starring drama series Code of Silence, about a deaf woman whose lip-reading skills get her hired for a police sting, has started filming season 2 that will return to U.K. broadcaster ITV and streaming service BritBox in North America. And Jonah Hauer-King, Jo Joyner and John Hollingworth are among the new cast members.
Production company Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, ITV and BritBox said on Thursday that filming is now underway on the second season, with Ayling-Ellis reprising her lead role as Alison Brooks. She is joined by returning cast members Andrew Buchan (Black Doves, Passenger), John Bishop (Doctor Who, The Accused), Nathan Armarkwei Laryea (The Witcher, Doctor Who) and Fifi Garfield (Coffee Morning Club, Deaf Funny).
New cast members include Hauer-King (A House of Dynamite, The Tattooist of Auschwitz), Joyner (Little Disasters, Ackley Bridge), Sophie McShera (Downton Abbey, The Gallows Pole), Hollingworth (Poldark, The Crown), Sasha Desouza-Willock (Vengeance: Murder on the Heath, London Kills) and Emily Head (Whitstable Pearl, The Inbetweeners).
Following the success of its first season, the thriller series returns with a six-part second outing, again crafted by creator and writer Catherine Moulton, who explores the worlds of crime, communication and representation through a unique lens.
“Two years on, Alison has completed her forensic lip-reading training with the police and is called upon to assist with a high-stakes surveillance operation involving Ruby Dowling (Head), a woman caught up in a sophisticated money-laundering syndicate,” reads a synopsis for the new season. “After being arrested when illicit cash is discovered hidden in her car, Ruby is released on bail back into a dangerous world where she finds herself trapped between police scrutiny and ruthless criminals. When she becomes the victim of a brutal attack, DI James Marsh (Buchan) and his team – DS Daniel Henshaw (Hauer-King), DS Ben Lawford (Laryea) and DC Lizzie Silver (Desouza-Willock) – are left searching for answers.”
Tasked with decoding vital CCTV footage, Alison’s unique expertise will be crucial to the investigation. But as hidden secrets begin to emerge, the case takes what the synopsis describes as “a disturbing turn, revealing threats far closer to home.” It also teases: “With loyalties tested, trust beginning to unravel and dangerous criminals closing in, Alison discovers that uncovering the truth may come at a devastating personal cost – and could make her the next target.”
Ayling-Ellis said about the return of the show: “I am so happy to be back on set with the brilliant cast and crew that made working on the first series such a delight and I’m looking forward to welcoming new members of the team too.”
And Moulton shared: “I’m thrilled to be bringing Alison back for a second [season]. Now she’s officially part of the police team, she’s keen to make her mark. Faced with her first murder investigation, she struggles to balance her determination to uncover the killer with the limits of her new police role. But blurred boundaries lead to divided loyalties, and her detective’s instincts, combined with her unique skill as a lip reader and close attention to detail, tell her there’s so much more to this case than meets the eye.”
Season 2 “continues the production’s commitment to authentic representation both on and off screen, featuring a diverse cast and crew that includes talent from the Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse communities,” the partners highlighted.
Joseph Shrubb returns as producer, with Meenu Gaur (The Forsytes, Murder is Easy, World on Fire) directing episodes one to three and Nirpal Bhogal (Grace, DI Ray, Endeavour) directing episodes four to six. Working alongside Moulton are writers Genevieve Barr (Then Barbara Met Alan), Melissa Bubnic (Young Sherlock), Kevin Rundle (Gangs of London) and Nicola Wilson (Call The Midwife).
The second season is executive produced by Damien Timmer, founder and chief creative officer of Mammoth Screen, alongside Ayling-Ellis and Moulton, as well as Jon Farrar and Jess O’Riordan for BritBox. ITV’s director of drama Polly Hill and drama commissioner Callum Dziedzic will oversee the production on behalf of ITV.
The series is distributed by ITV Studios.
