BBC's The Tourist Returns: Swaps continents, unveils intriguing characters for second season

In 2022, the BBC's drama series, The Tourist, became the UK's most-watched drama. Originally planned as a limited series, the show has chosen Ireland as its new backdrop, shifting away from Australia. The protagonist, Elliot Stanley, portrayed by Jamie Dornan, wakes up in the Outback with severe memory loss, setting the stage for a thrilling narrative.

Dornan, speaking on Sky's Backstage podcast, revealed his influence in choosing to film the second series closer to home, leveraging the success of the first season where he served as an executive producer. Familiar with playing characters with memory loss, notably portraying Paul Spector in The Fall, Dornan emphasized the uniqueness of approaching his role in The Tourist.

The move to Ireland for the second season meant an entirely new ensemble of actors and crew, with Danielle MacDonald, known for her role in Dumplin', joining the cast. She described the series as "genre-bending," blending dark themes with moments of levity.


The lead actor, Jamie Dornan, recently honored with a doctorate from Queen's University Belfast, humorously plans to display it in his office to assure people it's legitimate. Reflecting on his favorite shows and films of 2023, he highlighted Slow Horses and The Morning Show while praising the quality of films received as a member of the Academy.

The much-anticipated second season of The Tourist kicks off on BBC One at 9 pm on January 1, with all episodes available for streaming on BBC iPlayer from the same date.