Scott & Bailey (series two)

Published: Tuesday, 7 February 2012, 10:10AM

***The information contained herein is strictly embargoed from all press use, non commercial publication, or syndication until
 Wednesday 29th February 2012***

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Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp resume their partnership in eight new compelling episodes of the northern based crime drama Scott & Bailey.

Acclaimed writer and co-creator Sally Wainwright has written the second series after once again joining forces with Consultancy Producer Diane Taylor, a retired Detective from Greater Manchester Police.  Their unique partnership allows viewers and authentic look at the realities and responsibilities of working within a murder squad like Syndicate 9, a Major Incident Team within the Manchester Met Police.
 

Blending the gritty fast pace murder investigations with the warmth and chaos of their individual private lives, D.C. Rachel Bailey (Suranne Jones) and D.C. Janet Scott (Lesley Sharp) have a robust and engaging friendship which enables them to draw upon each other’s strengths and investigate the untimely and unnatural end to someone’s life.

Rachel Bailey is intuitive, bright, bold, and funny. She’s passionate about her job. Her one big flaw is her impulsiveness, which occasionally leads her boss, Detective Chief Inspector Gill Murray (Amelia Bullmore), to view her as a liability. Rachel persistently burns the candle at both ends, but her moments of intuitive brilliance make her a terrific copper and give her the potential to make a great D.C.I. one day. If only she can keep her chaotic personal life from impacting on her job.

Janet Scott is subtle, deep, reliable, a diplomat and a thinker. She has two teenage daughters and is in a marriage that over the years has become little more than a convenient arrangement for both her and husband Adrian (Tony Pitts). Janet’s a very private person, but when her marriage hits the rocks and Adrian walks out, her affair with Andy Roper (Nicholas Gleaves) becomes more public than she would ever have wanted.

Detective Chief Inspector Gill Murray leads a team of over thirty detectives, including Rachel, Janet and D.S. Andy Roper. A divorced single parent, Gill is a hugely capable woman, whose speedy thought processes require everyone around her to raise their game to keep up with her. Charismatic, funny, clever, fair-minded, occasionally scary, a paradigm of professionalism, Gill is an inspiring detective and leader, always at the centre of the office scene.

Many of the original cast return to the series including; Ben Batt as D.C. Kevin Lumb, David Prosho as D.C. Ian Mitchell, Tony Mooney as D.C. Pete Readyough and Delroy Brown as D.C. Lee Broadhurst, Sally Lindsay as Rachel’s sister Alison, Vincent Regan as D.C.S. Dave Murray and Tony Pitts as Janet’s husband Adrian.

Actors joining the second series include; Sean Maguire, Liam Boyle, Judith Barker, Pippa Haywood, Lisa Riley, Oliver Milburn, James Sutton, Jake Roche and Naomi Radcliffe.

Scott & Bailey was re-commissioned by Director of Drama Commissioning Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes, Controller of Drama Commissioning and is based on an original idea by Suranne Jones and Sally Lindsay.

The series is executive produced for ITV by Nicola Shindler, Director of Red Production Company (Exile, Unforgiven, Mark of Cain) and produced by Tom Sherry (New Tricks, Murphy’s Law, Fat Friends).  Sally Wainwright has written episodes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8, and together with Nicole Taylor episode 4. Amelia Bullmore has written episode 7. The directors are China Moo-Young, Paul Walker and Morag Fullarton.