The BBC's award-winning Scottish drama, An t-Eilean (The Island), is set to return with a second season following its impressive debut last year. The detective series, which stars Sorcha Groundsell (Shetland, His Dark Materials), was the UK's first high-end Gaelic drama series and the biggest drama in BBC ALBA's history.
The new four-part series, which begins filming on location in the Western Isles in Spring, will see leading star Sorcha reprise her role of Detective Sergeant, Kat Crichton, as she tackles a "gripping new mystery".
There's no doubt that Scottish crime dramas are hugely popular right now. From Shetland to Karen Pirie and Rebus, there are plenty of compelling detective shows out there, and An t-Eilean (The Island) is another brilliant addition to the genre.
If you like gritty dramas set against gorgeous landscapes, then you might want to put An t-Eilean (The Island) on your watchlist.
© Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher
© Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher,John Murdo MacAuley- Status: In Pre-production
- Filming Begins: Spring 2026
- Primary Locations: Isle of Lewis and Isle of Harris (Western Isles)
- Lead Cast: Sorcha Groundsell, Sam James Smith
- Production Co: Black Camel Pictures
- Episode Count: 4 x 47-minute episodes
What to expect from An t-Eilean (The Island) season 2
In the new series, we find Kat frustrated both at work and home as she cares for her ill father while dealing with petty local crime.
But when the body of a young woman is washed up, Kat is tasked with hunting down a killer stalking the islands. As she delves deeper into the case, it uncovers the "hidden lives and devastating secrets of the community's young people," which forces Kat to confront both the investigation and her own complicated ties to the place she calls home.
The synopsis continues: "When her former nemesis Ruaraidh MacLean (Sam James Smith), now running the local youth group, shares his suspicion that there are other missing young islanders he finds himself drawn back in to Kat’s world as the case tightens around those closest to home.
"What follows is a terrifying and twisted game which leads them into a world of unexpected and chilling corruption in the hunt for a serial killer."
© Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher,John Murdo MacAuleyBill MacLeod, Commissioning Editor BBC ALBA, described the upcoming series as a "taut and twisty" story that will keep viewers "on the edge of their seats until the final few frames".
When will the new season be released?
A release date for season two has yet to be announced. However with filming yet to begin, we'd expect the series to arrive in late 2026 at the earliest. In the meantime, all four episodes of season one are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
© Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher,John Murdo MacAuleyOther crime dramas you'll love
If you're looking for a female-led detective drama set in Scotland, check out Shetland. The series follows detectives Calder (Ashley Jensen) and Tosh (Alison O’Donnell) as they investigate grisly crimes on the titular archipelago.
© BBC/Silverprint Films/Jamie SimpsonFans of An t-Eilean will also like ITV's Karen Pirie, which stars Lauren Lyle as the eponymous DI Karen Pirie as she investigates puzzling cold cases.
