Criminal UK season 2: who stars in the cast with Kunal Nayyar, Sophie Okonedo and Kit Harington - and when it’s released on Netflix

Returning for a second season is Criminal, the Netflix original series that tracks the stories of suspects brought into a police interrogation room for various crimes.

The series was created by George Kay, who has written episodes of Killing Eve and My Mad Fat Diary and directed series such as Episodes and Wrecked.

This is everything you need to know as the second series of Criminal kicks off.

What is Criminal about?

Criminal is a crime drama which follows a team of police officers questioning suspects for different crimes.

Each episode is standalone, and focuses on a different person who has been brought into the police interrogation room.

The Netflix synopsis says: “Four new cases, four new suspects and one room that changes everything.

“Seeking answers inside the interview room, investigators question suspects over four confounding cases, including alleged rape, abduction and murder.

“Every suspect has their story. Whose will you believe?”

Season one also featured a potential budding romance between police detectives Natalie Hobbs (played by Katherine Kelly) and Tony Myerscough (played by Lee Ingleby), so viewers might see that progress into season two.

Who is in the cast?

Season one enjoyed appearances from guest stars such as David Tennant (Des, Good Omens) Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter, Conviction) and Youssef Kerkour (Home, Marcella), and season two boasts equally big names in its lineup.

Leading the first episode is Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda, Ratched) as Julia Bryce, the wife of a convicted killer.

The second episode features Kit Harington (Game of Thrones, Gunpowder) as Alex Daniels, a businessman accused of rape by a woman who works for him.

A woman named Danielle Dunne is at the centre of the third episode. She is the head of an online vigilante group that unmasks sexual predators, and is played by Sharon Horgan (Pulling, Catastrophe).

The last episode is about Sandeep Singh, a convicted killer looking to cut a deal. He is played by Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory, Fantasy Hospital).

There can’t be suspects without detectives, and a few familiar faces from season one are making a return.

Katherine Kelly (Gentleman Jack, Strike) plays DI Natalie Hobbs, Lee Inglesby (Line of Duty, Luther) is DI Tony Myerscough and Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty, Talking Heads) plays DC Vanessa Warren.

Season two of the police procedural drama will also introduce Shubham Saraf (Bodyguard, A Suitable Boy) as DV Kule Petit.

Season one officiers Mark Stanley (Game of Thrones, Broken) who played DC Hugo Duffy, NIcholas Pinnock (Marcella, Top Boy) who was DI Paul Ottager and Clare-Hope Ashitey (Children of Men, Doctor Foster) who took on the role of DS Adele Addo, do not return for season two.

Is there a trailer?

Netflix dropped the trailer for the second season on 2 September, which gives viewers a first look at the suspects being interrogated by police.

In the trailer, we see as the detectives struggle with different suspects, with tensions rising and rising.

In the end, DI Hobbs says: “We don’t believe you.”

When does season two drop on Netflix?

The second series of the crime drama is released on Netflix on Wednesday 16 September.

There are four episodes of the new season available to watch - that’s one more episode than the first season. Each episode is roughly 45 minutes long.

The first season had also been accompanied by three international variants - Criminal: France, Criminal: Spain and Criminal: Germany.

However, it appears that just the UK version is making a return.

Series creator Jim Field Smith tweeted saying that he would “love to do more of the others [from different countries] for sure”.