BBC series Vigil has been on quite the journey since it first debuted in 2021. It started life as a claustrophobic thriller, following Suranne Jones's Amy as she investigated a death on a submarine.
Season 2 switched things up, giving a more prominent role to Rose Leslie's Kirsten and focusing on a death related to drone warfare technology.
Now, after almost three years away, the series is back, with the central duo heading to the Arctic Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, to investigate a murder there.
But when will the new episodes debut, who else is set to star in them and what else do we know about the story this time around?
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Read on for everything you need to know about Vigil season 3.
Will there be Vigil season 3?
There will! The series was officially renewed in February 2025, with creator and writer Tom Edge saying in a statement: "I'm delighted that Suranne and Rose are returning for a new adventure. In our third season we travel to the frozen north, where the world's great powers are competing to secure advantages as the ice melts."
He added: "With a brilliant cast and crew assembling to make the show, we hope to deliver an epic investigation that shines a light on issues that will shape the world we all live in."
Edge had previously said, when the second season arrived, that there would only be a third run if there was "something urgent to be said".
"I think we never take anything for granted in terms of actors," Edge explained. "I mean, these actors are incredible, and they are offered so many jobs, and it's a useful thought to think we have to have a shot at earning their time, their pick, and that is a reasonably high bar.
"So, if we think about doing that, it has to feel like there is something urgent to be said, on both the character level and in terms of the domain that we may intend to unpack those questions. But I will say the world doesn’t seem short on turbulence or question marks."
Clearly, for Edge, that bar was met with the story for season 3.
When will Vigil season 3 be released?
The third season of Vigil will launch on BBC iPlayer on , with the first two episodes available to stream from 6am that day. Episode 1 will then air on BBC One at 9pm that evening, followed by episode 2 the following Monday night.
Two episodes will then launch weekly, arriving on BBC iPlayer on Sundays and airing on BBC One on Sundays and Mondays.
This season is airing almost three years after season 2, which first aired in December 2023.
What is Vigil season 3 about?
The synopsis for Vigil season 3 says that it will take Suranne Jones's DCI Amy Silva and Rose Leslie's DI Kirsten Longacre "to a remote Arctic research station, where a member of a covert British special forces mission has been shot dead".
The synopsis continues: "Amy and Kirsten will need to catch the killer and defuse a potential international confrontation, as different nations compete for control of the Arctic and its resources in the changing polar climate, with both their careers and relationship on the line. As the mission rapidly unfolds, Amy and Kirsten begin to question who they can trust."
Who is returning to star in Vigil season 3?
Also returning are Gary Lewis as Robertson, Orla Russell as Amy's daughter Poppy and Dominic Mafham as Sir Ian Downing, but otherwise season 3 features an entirely new cast.
Stars joining this time around include the likes of Jeppe Beck Laursen, Steven Miller, Amy Manson, Steven Cree and Derek Riddell, amongst many others.
Here's a full list of the confirmed cast members for Vigil season 3:
- Suranne Jones as Amy Silva
- Rose Leslie as Kirsten Longacre
- Gary Lewis as Colin Robertson
- Orla Russell as Poppy Silva
- Dominic Mafham as Sir Ian Downing
- Jeppe Beck Laursen as Henrick Becken
- Naomi Yang as Shen Jia
- Steven Miller as Mark Cunningham
- Benjamin Wainwright as Oli Pickford
- Danusia Samal as Jasmine Kelly
- Eric Godon as Mayor Korotayev
- Amy Manson as Lorna McCallister
- Artur Zai Barrera as Garcia
- Jordan Duvigneau as Simon Anderson
- Kaisa Hammarlund as Deputy Olsdatter
- Conor Berry as Daniel Hodge
- Jason Tobin as Huang Chen
- Steven Cree as Gordon Laity
- Killian Coyle as Jason Collyer
- Derek Riddell as Vincent Mair
- Dawn Sievewright as Chloe Ackroyd
- Shereen Cutkelvin as Holly Mitchell
Is there a trailer for Vigil season 3?
There is! You can watch the trailer for season 3 right here now.
Vigil season 3 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 30 August. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
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