ITV Recommissions Propulsive Thriller Red Eye For A Second Series After Ratings Soar To Over 8 Million Viewers

JING LUSI, LESLEY SHARP AND JEMMA MOORE TO RETURN FOR SECOND SERIES OF RED EYE, COMMISSIONED BY ITV’S HEAD OF DRAMA, POLLY HILL, PRODUCED BY BAD WOLF AND WRITTEN BY PETER A DOWLING

**High-octane thriller hits 29.3m streams and is one of ITV’s top ten dramas of the year so far, exceeding 8 million viewers**

ITV1 and ITVX’s propulsive thriller Red Eye has been recommissioned for a second series after launching earlier this year with audiences in excess of 8 million viewers.  

Jing Lusi will return as DS Hana Li with a new conspiracy to solve in the high-octane world of Red Eye. Lesley Sharp and Jemma Moore also reprise their roles as Head of MI5 Madeline Delaney and journalist Jess Li, with news on further guest casting available closer to filming, commencing next year. 

Written and created by Peter A Dowling (Black and Blue, Flightplan), the series is produced by Wales based independent production company Bad Wolf, founded by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, who are the producers of Doctor Who, Industry, The Winter King, His Dark Materials, I Hate Suzie, and A Discovery of Witches.

The news of Red Eye’s recommission comes as the edge-of-your-seat series hits 29.3m million streams on ITVX to date. 

Since its launch on 21 April on ITV1 and ITVX, the first episode has been watched by 8.3 million viewers across all devices, making it the fourth highest new drama title across all channels and platforms to break 8 million in the first half of this year. 8.3 million is the official 28-day consolidated figure. 

Commented ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill: 

“I am so delighted to see the success of Red Eye. It’s incredible to get an audience of over 8 million and a huge thank you to everyone involved for making such a brilliant and addictive thriller. I can’t wait for audiences to see where Pete takes series 2. It’s another exciting ride!”

The first outing of the drama starring Jing Lusi, Richard Armitage, Lesley Sharp and Jemma Moore is an adrenaline-filled story told over six parts, set between an all night flight from London to Beijing, the streets of London, and the corridors of power within Whitehall. 

The episodes were all made available to stream on ITVX ahead of the linear broadcast at 9pm on Sundays. And it proved to be addictive viewing; 93% of the viewers watching this way had clicked into all 6 episodes within a week.

Commented Executive Producers Julie Gardner and Lachlan MacKinnon: 

“We’re thrilled to be embarking on another high-octane ride with Peter A Dowling, Polly Hill and her team at ITV. We’re beyond grateful to the audience who embraced all the twists and turns of series 1 with such enthusiasm. Expect more thrills and spills to follow.”

Bad Wolf is the Sony Pictures Television-backed company founded in 2015 by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner.

Award-winning producer Julie Gardner (I Hate Suzie, Doctor Who) will executive produce the new series alongside Lachlan MacKinnon (Industry, A Discovery of Witches).

Red Eye was initially developed by Bad Wolf’s Director of Content, Dan McCulloch (His Dark Materials, Endeavour).

Sony Pictures Television will be responsible for the international distribution of the second series of Red Eye. It was announced in August 2024 that the first series of Red Eye has broadcast in over 120 territories worldwide.