How has Blue Lights moved on from the first series?

Now we know who these characters are, we dig deeper into their lives and understand why they react in certain situations. The world that Declan and Adam have created has expanded even more and you begin to understand the complexities of the crimes the characters are encountering in their day-to-day jobs. We also see the ripple effect of what happened in the first series on all of the characters and how it impacts them as a unit.

What’s Grace’s home situation?

A year has passed so she’s no longer a recruit. She’s much more experienced in the job but her home life has turned upside down. We see her whole foundation has been rocked by not having Cal at home with her anymore. She is a little at sea and I like the fact that we portray empty nest syndrome. I know from friends whose children have left home that it’s almost an unexpected loss that they experience. I don’t think it’s explored enough on television but it’s a tangible thing that happens to parents and they go through a grieving process of sorts.

How has Cal’s departure for university impacted Grace’s living arrangements?

Grace and Annie have now moved in together. Grace has a caring quality to her and she can’t help but take Annie under her wing. She needs to have someone there almost as a distraction to what’s going on in her life. What comes with that though is the frustrations of living with an adult who lives like a student but the dynamic between Grace and Annie is really lovely.

How has Grace’s partnership with Stevie developed since series one?

They have made these clear boundaries between their work lives and personal lives; listening to their heads rather than their hearts. They are both trying to navigate that and we will see throughout the series the fallout of that agreement.

What challenges does Grace face this year?

Grace is caught up in a serious incident that involves her pulling out her gun. I did talk at length to one of our police advisors about how you have to commit to that once you pull your weapon. I wanted to know what that does to you as a police officer and as a human being. You have to come to terms with the fact that you are prepared to take a life in order to save someone else from harm and it really does alter how you feel after that. That sort of incident doesn’t happen very often and isn’t an everyday occurrence within policing.

Why do you think the show was such a big success and resonated with audiences?

I think it was a hit with audiences firstly because of Adam and Declan’s writing and the fact this is a character-led drama. You care about these people immediately and they are relatable. I also think that telling the story of modern policing in Northern Ireland has been educational for audiences who think they might know this world but don’t and were intrigued, surprised and engaged by it.

What can audiences expect from the second series?

The stakes are high. It will be quite explosive, moving and an authentic reflection of some parts of present-day Belfast, but audiences can still expect those comedy beats alongside the serious side of the story.