Filming has resumed in Belfast for the much-anticipated second series of hit BBC drama The Fall.

The drama picks up where series one left off, with six hour-long episodes and Anderson at the helm as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson continuing her increasingly desperate hunt for the serial murderer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan).

Written by Allan Cubitt (The Hanging Gale, The Boys Are Back, Prime Suspect 2), series one of The Fall received international critical acclaim and became BBC Two’s biggest drama series to launch in over 10 years. The series had a consolidated average audience of 4.3 m and 16% share, with the final episode averaging an audience of 4.7m and 17.8% share.

The first series of The Fall distinguished itself notably by identifying the killer from the start, and through the investigation of the murder of a single female across one season was able to reveal the chilling nature of Spector’s behavior – unusual in allowing the audience to invest in the story of the murdered victim and not just the murder enquiry.

Despite Gibson and Spector never actually meeting on screen, the chemistry between the two characters was electric and the escalating rivalry became the lynchpin of the first season and left the audience crying out for more.

The story picks up immediately from where series one left off, with Gibson in pursuit of Spector. A personal link from Spector’s past opens up some clues for Gibson but provokes Spector in way that threatens to jeopardise the whole investigation. Gibson is forced to take ever greater risks but the closer she comes to capturing him, the more Spector trespasses into her private world, delighting in taunting and provoking her. As the net gradually tightens around him he becomes psychologically ever more dangerous and destructive.

On her return to the role, Gillian Anderson says: “I’m over the moon to be back in production with this team again and to step into the shoes of the elusive Stella for what promises to be an even darker second season.”

On his return to the role of Spector, Jamie Dornan says: “I’m delighted to be back in production for the second series of The Fall. Allan Cubitt has outdone himself, and the scripts are stunning.”

Also returning to the drama is John Lynch as ACC Jim Burns and Bronagh Waugh as Spector’s wife Sally-Ann.

Writer and director Allan Cubitt says: “I’m incredibly pleased to be back in Belfast working with producer Julian Stevens and so many of the original crew who made series one of The Fall such a pleasure to work on. As writer/director I will be relying on them even more this time. I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for allowing me this opportunity and the chance to continue my working partnership with Gub Neal of the Artists Studio.”

Gub Neal, producer, adds: “To be continuing with everything that distinguished Allan Cubitt’s first season of The Fall, and made it truly genre breaking, is a true delight. The excavations into character, and the dark heart of a serial killer, in a such a truthful way has been made possible only through the depth of Al’s writing, the outstanding quality of the central performances and of course the unique patina of Belfast City.

“We have been fortunate enough to bring together all these elements once again through the generosity of an extended re-commission by the BBC and look forward to rewarding audiences with the next chapter of this compelling drama.”

Stephen Wright, Head of Drama for BBC Northern Ireland, says: “It is fantastic to have production on series two of The Fall up and running in Belfast. We were delighted with the response to series one and can’t wait to unleash Allan Cubitt’s superb new scripts on the audience.”

The Fall is a Fables Limited production in association with Artists Studio with funding from Northern Ireland Screen supported by Invest NI and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Gub Neal and Julian Stevens will produce with Allan Cubitt and Justin Thomson-Glover and Patrick Irwin acting as executive producers.

The series was commissioned by Janice Hadlow, outgoing Controller of BBC Two and Ben Stephenson, Controller of Drama Commissioning, and will also be executive produced by Stephen Wright through BBC Northern Ireland.