The World War Two drama is returning to BBC One, four years after the first season aired.
Peter Bowker’s World War Two drama World on Fire first aired on BBC One in 2019 and was notable for its star-studded cast including Lesley Manville, Helen Hunt and Sean Bean.
Now, after a long wait, the series is back, with some cast change-ups and a whole new set of stories to tell, while also following up on the central storylines around Harry, Kasia, Robina, Lois, Stan and more.
The new season picks up in 1941, with plenty more to follow in its re-telling of the war – but when can fans expect to see it on BBC One, who is in the cast for season 2 and what is it about?
Read on for everything you need to know about World on Fire season 2.
When will World on Fire season 2 air on BBC One?
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It’s been a long wait, but the second season of World on Fire will finally arrive on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday 16th July 2023.
New episodes will then air weekly on BBC One, while the full season will also immediately become available in full on BBC iPlayer.
When the first season was airing, writer Peter Bowker told RadioTimes.com that he had detailed plans for more seasons, each of which would cover a year of the war.
“I know what happens over six series for the main characters,” he said. “If you pitch a show, people will often ask ‘What happens in series 4, episode 3? What happens to this character?’ You’ve got to know and not be English about it.”
What is World on Fire season 2 about?
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The new season of World on Fire picks up in 1941, with RAF pilots being sent to destroy German bombers prowling the skies above Manchester and rescue operations under way on the streets below. The synopsis for the season says that in this new instalment, the “true reality of war has arrived in Britain”.
The synopsis continues: “Telling the story of World War Two through the eyes of ordinary people, following intrepid young heroes fighting for freedom, World on Fire series 2 will take viewers from the war-torn streets of Britain deep into Nazi Germany, the resistance within occupied France, and the brutal sands of the North African desert – where troops struggle to adapt to a very different kind of combat.”
World on Fire cast – who is back for season 2?
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While many of the cast from season 1 have returned for season 2, there are some notable absences. These include Sean Bean, whose character Douglas Bennett has been killed off between seasons, Nancy Campbell star Helen Hunt and Vernon star Arthur Darvill.
Those who are returning for this season include Jonah Hauer-King as Harry Chase, Lesley Manville as Robina Chase, Julia Brown as Lois Bennett, Blake Harrison as Stan Raddings, Yrsa Daley-Ward as Connie Knight and Zofia Wichłacz as Kasia Tomaszeski.
They are joined by new cast members including Mark Bonnar, Gregg Sulkin and Ahad Raza Mir.
You can find a full list of the main cast for World on Fire season 2 here:
- Lesley Manville as Robina Chase
- Jonah Hauer-King as Harry Chase
- Blake Harrison as Stan Raddings
- Julia Brown as Lois Bennett
- Zofia Wichłacz as Kasia Tomaszeski
- Parker Sawyers as Albert Fallou
- Eugenie Derouand as Henriette Guilbert
- Mark Bonnar as Sir James Danemere
- Gregg Sulkin as David
- Ahad Raza Mir as Rajib
- Miriam Schiweck as Marga
- Cel Spellman as Joe Broughton
- Yrsa Daley-Ward as Connie Knight
- Eryk Biedunkiewicz as Jan Tomaszeski
- Ewan Mitchell as Tom Bennett
- Mateusz Wieclawek as Grzegorz
World on Fire season 2 trailer
You can watch the trailer for World on Fire season 2 right here now.
World on Fire returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 16th July 2023. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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