Hope Street hailed as ‘breath of fresh air’ on return for series two

The show is set in the fictional town of Port Devine and filmed in picturesque Donaghadee in Northern Ireland

Ciaran McMenamin is back as Inspector Finn O’Hare in series two of Hope Street (Long Story TV/,Jack McGuire/PA)

Daytime police drama Hope Street – credited by two of its main actors as “a breath of fresh air” – is back on screens this week.

The Northern Ireland-based programme is returning for its second series, after proving a hit with audiences both at home and abroad.

Set in the fictional seaside town of Port Devine and filmed in picturesque Donaghadee, the first series drew an average audience of 1.7 million per episode.

Viewers can expect to find out the fate of Inspector Finn O’Hare – played by Ciaran McMenamin – after a dramatic cliff-hanger in the final episode of season one.

Fermanagh-born McMenamin said being in the series has “reinvigorated” his love of acting, adding “I’m having an absolute ball”.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the series’ return and alongside other members of the cast, he enthused about getting to film in his native Northern Ireland.

He said: “It’s amazing to come home and work on something like this.”

“When you make something set anywhere, the 1 per cent of the audience from there are usually the most critical. So I was kind of wondering how this would go down at home,” he continued.

“But people have really lapped it up because it’s kind of positive and it’s a new way of looking at here. We’re not just digging up all the negative stuff and people have really responded to it.”

It’s a pure homegrown Northern Irish series, it should be so celebrated

Rachel Tucker

He and his on-screen wife Rachel Tucker, who plays Siobhan O’Hare, described the show as “a breath of fresh air”, with the Broadway star adding that she has pride in the drama’s depiction of Northern Irish humour.

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She said: “I’m proud. I’m really proud of that humour. It’s a pure homegrown Northern Irish series, it should be so celebrated.”

This series will see the return of Shameless actor Aaron McCusker as Clint Dunwoody, and Niamh McGrady as his partner Nicole Devine, as well as the introduction of new characters including Stephen Hagan as detective constable Al Quinn.

The first episode of series two will air on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer at 7pm on November 7. The series will be available on BBC Daytime in the new year.

The programme is a co-commission between BBC Daytime, BBC Northern Ireland and Britbox International, made with support from Northern Ireland Screen.