Warning! The Night Manager season two spoilers lie ahead…
BBC viewers were left reeling after the finale of The Night Manager season 2 on Sunday night. The six-parter, which is based on John le Carré's 1993 novel, ended with an explosive twist that saw not one but two major characters killed.
After a decade-long wait following season one, The Night Manager returned to screens on New Year's Day and saw Tom Hiddleston reprise his role as intelligence agent Jonathan Pine – this time operating under the alias Matthew Ellis. While the debut season saw Jonathan and Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) triumph over their enemies, the latest instalment flipped the scales entirely.
© BBC/Ink Factory/Des WillieEpisode three saw the sinister return of Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), a crooked arms dealer who had managed to avoid his presumed execution by the Syrians. With newcomers Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva) and Roxana Bolaños (Camila Morrone) drawn into the drama, the finale delivered a devastating blow as Teddy was murdered by Roper, while Angela was killed on the orders of corrupt MI6 chief Mayra Cavendish (Indira Varma).
If you were one of the many viewers left devastated by the conclusion and are wondering about a third season, here's everything you need to know.
Will there be a season 3 of The Night Manager?
Appearing on ITV's This Morning at the end of January, executive producer and star Tom Hiddleston delivered the news that everyone had been waiting for. "I can confirm that there will be a third season," he told hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley. "We always constructed this one at the beginning of a twelve episode story. It gave us greater scope, in terms of imagining where the story might go, knowing that we had another story come."
Acknowledging the ten-year wait between the first and second seasons, Tom assured fans this would not be repeated. "It'll be sooner than that!" he said. "If we had to wait another ten years I'll be 55, and I don't know how much running onto motorbikes I'd be able to do. But we'll see."
What will happen in The Night Manager season 3?
Plot details for the third instalment remain tightly under wraps, but Tom has teased that it will serve as an epic conclusion. "I won't reveal it now because that would take away the lovely surprise," he told TV Insider. "But yeah, it's going to be an extraordinary journey. It's not over yet."
Meanwhile, in an interview with Variety, the show's creator and writer David Farr said: "The honest truth is that we are still writing the third season as we speak. Writing is a journey of discoveries. So I don't really know yet."
© Ink Factory / Des Willie / BBCWhen asked whether Roxana could return after forming an uneasy understanding with Roper, he added: "Even if she's got away for good, she's learned something about herself and it's not necessarily a nice thing. There was an opportunity there to become a different person, and she didn't take it."
Who will star in The Night Manager season 3?
While no official cast list has been released, Tom Hiddleston is expected to return as Jonathan Pine – and it wouldn't quite be The Night Manager without Hugh Laurie as iconic antagonist Richard Roper. Other cast members we could see return include Hayley Squires as Sally Price-Jones, Indira Varma as Mayra Cavendish and Noah Jupe as Danny Roper.
Sadly, it appears unlikely that Olivia Colman, Diego Calva or Paul Chahidi will return as Angela, Teddy and Basil following their characters' deaths in season two.
© BBC/Ink Factory/Des WillieFans react to The Night Manager season 2
After the explosive finale, fans took to social media to share their shock at the "heartbreaking" and "devastating" deaths of Angela and Teddy.
"WHO DO I SEND MY THERAPY BILL TO?! Excellent season 2!!" wrote one Instagram viewer, while another added: "Tom's acting was absolutely incredible throughout this series, but this last episode was just flawless!!! Can't wait for series three."
© Ink Factory / Des Willie / BBCA third commented: "Diego Calva, if you see this, despite our broken hearts, thank you for introducing us to Teddy. You will always be our favourite. Keep doing what you do and SHINE!"
Seasons one and two of The Night Manager are available to watch on iPlayer.
