Patience Set for Third Series After Strong Ratings Success

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Channel 4's detective drama Patience is heading back into production for a third series, with Eagle Eye Drama confirming filming will begin in March across Belgium and York. The show, which has steadily built a loyal following, has become the channel's most watched programme of the year so far when both traditional broadcasts and streaming are counted, a sign that its quiet, character driven approach has struck a chord.

The second series opened to an average audience of 4.2 million across a 28 day window on all screens. Its first week big screen share reached 16 per cent, marking an 18 per cent rise compared with the launch of the first series. Those figures helped cement its place as one of Channel 4's standout performers.

The new run will stretch to ten episodes, giving more room for the story to breathe. Ella Maisy Purvis returns as Patience, the autistic criminal records archivist whose sharp instincts continue to aid the City of York Police on complex cases. Jessica Hynes is back as DI Frankie Monroe, once a reluctant partner and now a trusted friend, their earlier clashes giving way to a close working bond.

Series three widens the focus beyond the day job. Patience takes a step forward in her romantic life while also confronting unfinished family matters. She begins to build a relationship with her estranged half sister Joy and starts looking into her father's death, questioning whether the car crash that killed him was truly accidental or something more troubling.

Nathan Welsh, Mark Benton, Adrian Rawlins, Tom Lewis, Ali Ariaie and Liza Sadovy all reprise their roles alongside the central pair. Behind the scenes, Maarten Moerkerke returns to direct, joined by Jan Matthys, with Jen Burnet producing and Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino serving as executive producers.

Polly Scates, Head of Acquisitions at Channel 4, said the series has clearly connected with viewers and that the team is eager to see where Patience's investigations lead next in York. Jo McGrath, Chief Creative Officer at Eagle Eye Drama, noted the show's strong performance in the UK and overseas, pointing to its place as the eighth most streamed programme across all platforms midway through its previous run, and credited the cast and production team for that success.

Originally adapted from the French series Astrid & Raphaëlle, Patience is produced by Eagle Eye Drama, part of ITV Studios, in association with Happy Duck Films and supported by the Belgian Tax Shelter. The new episodes are written by Matt Baker, Amy Shindler and Beth Chalmers. Beta Film handles worldwide distribution, while PBS Distribution holds the North American rights.