Outlander's Richard Rankin lands next role in ‘flawless' drama after wrapping final season
Outlander is set to conclude with its eighth series, and the renowned cast are already securing their future roles.
Richard Rankin, known for his role as Roger MacKenzie in all but the first series of the successful Starz show, has recently signed on to a much-anticipated adaptation of a cherished classic.
Ahead of the premiere of the first series, 5 and Masterpiece have confirmed this week that a second series of Debbie Horsfield's The Forsytes is already underway.
Featuring Millie Gibson, famed for Doctor Who, and Downton Abbey's Tuppence Middleton, this reinterpretation of John Galsworthy's classic book series The Forsyte Saga will premiere on 5 later this year.
American viewers will be able to watch next year on MASTERPIECE on PBS, with a second series already being filmed in and around Bristol, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
Rankin is the latest television veteran to join the cast for the sequel, alongside Jonathan Creek's Sarah Alexander and Nia Ashi, the rising star from Bob Marley: One Love.
Returning cast members include Middleton and Gibson, as well as Eleanor Tomlinson, Francesca Annis, Jack Davenport, Tom Durant Prichard, Naomi Frederick, Jamie Flatters, Danny Griffin, Owen Igiehon, Eleanor Jackson, Justine Moore, Stephen Moyer and Joshua Orpin.
Susan Hampshire, an Emmy Award-winning actress who starred in the classic BBC version of the drama from the 1960s, will also feature.
Outlander sensation Rankin is all set to dazzle audiences with his first major project since bidding farewell to the hit series, as it gears up for what's promised to be an electrifying eighth and final season next year.
The up-and-coming second instalment of The Forsytes teases: "In this next chapter the proud dynasty faces a new era of scandal, ambition, and shifting loyalties.
"As love, legacy and reputation collide, the cracks in the family's polished façade grow ever deeper."
Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor of Drama at Channel 5, shared his excitement: "We are excited to announce that production has begun on the second series of The Forsytes.
"With the first series set to air soon, this early commitment to a second chapter is a testament to the strength of the stories and characters that we know our audience will embrace. We look forward to sharing even more of this rich and compelling series."
Mammoth Screen's CCO Damien Timmer added: "We can't wait for the world to see series 1 of The Forsytes, and we're so pleased to be getting ahead of ourselves and starting on this thrilling second series with Debbie Horsfield's irresistible scripts and our glorious – and ever expanding - cast."
The Forsyte Saga, once turned into a 2002 and 2003 television hit featuring Gina McKee and Damian Lewis, is undergoing a modern makeover, promising ITV audiences another period drama phenomenon.
Ratings and reviews from IMDb already laud the series as "engrossing" and "flawless", hinting at a forthcoming spectacle bound to captivate period drama aficionados.
The Forsytes season 1 will be released later this year on 5 and in 2026 on MASTERPIECE on PBS. Outlander is available to stream on MGM+ via Prime Video.
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