The Night Manager season 2: all we know from major star's absence to new cast

The Night Manager is returning to our screens after almost a decade with two new seasons, which will see Tom Hiddleston reprise his role as titular character Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier working as a hotel night porter.

The upcoming series will pick up eight years after the events of the first season – and there has been one major change. Keep reading for all we know about season two, including the absence of a major star and what fans can expect from the plot.

Who's starring in The Night Manager season 2?

Tom Hiddleston will return in the role of Jonathan Pine, a former soldier and the night manager of a luxury hotel in Cairo. In season one, Jonathan was recruited by a British intelligence agent Angela Burr (Olivia Coleman), to infiltrate the inner circle of ruthless arms dealer Dicky Roper (Hugh Laurie).

Season two introduces a new leading lady in the form of Daisy Jones & the Six star Camila Morrone, whose character has not yet been revealed.

One actress who won't be returning to the show is The Crown's Elizabeth Debicki, who portrayed Jonathan's secret lover Jed Marshall in series one.

While it remains uncertain whether Hugh will reprise his role as Dicky, the actor has signed on as an executive producer.

Further cast details have yet to be released.

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Leading man Tom said of the new series: "The first series of The Night Manager was one of the most creatively fulfilling projects I have ever worked on. The depth, range and complexity of Jonathan Pine was, and remains, a thrilling prospect.

"I'm so looking forward to reuniting with Simon and Stephen Cornwell, David Farr and Stephen Garrett, and to working with Georgi Banks-Davies to tell the next chapter of our story. I can't wait."

What is The Night Manager season 2 about?

While the first series is based on John le Carré's bestselling novel, there is no sequel for the drama to draw material from.

The author's sons said in a statement: "Revisiting the story of Pine also means going beyond the events of John le Carré's original work: that is a decision we have not taken lightly, but his compelling characters and the vision David has for their next chapter were irresistible."

Although plot details have been kept under wraps so far, initial reports suggested that the new episodes could see Jonathan reacting to the news that Dicky has been killed in custody.

Like with series one, the script will be penned by creator David Farr. Meanwhile, BAFTA winner Georgi Banks-Davies (I Hate Suzie, Paper Girls) will be at the helm as season two's director.

Teasing the new series, David said: "I did not tread lightly into extending The Night Manager beyond the original book, but an idea came to me a couple of years ago which felt truthful to that unique world of dark corners and shady identities.

"No one marries the suspense of espionage with a deep exploration of the human soul quite like le Carré. I hope that in some way we can pay homage to his uneasy genius in this new exploration."

The Night Manager series 2 release date

While a release date has not been announced, filming for the new series is set to begin later this year and so we're unlikely to see the new episodes until the start of 2025 at the earliest.

The series will arrive on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and, outside of the UK, globally on Prime Video.