Latest news with #DCIEllis
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Future of 'excellent' Channel 5 British police drama compared to acclaimed series Vera confirmed
The future of an 'excellent' British police drama that has been compared to Vera has been confirmed. Channel 5 's Ellis follows DCI Ellis, as she delves into complex investigations in the north of England with DS Harper by her side. Award-winning actress Sharon D Clarke, 58, who last year starred in Wicked as Dulcibear, plays the lead character and is joined by Andrew Gower, 35. The first season, consisting of three two-hour episodes, premiered back in 2024 and was a hit with fans. It has now been confirmed there will be a second instalment of the detective series and filming is set to commence next month. Sharon, who has won three Olivier Awards, described how 'thrilled' so was to be returning as Ellis. 'The response to the first series was overwhelming, and I am excited to continue this journey with such a talented team, especially with the wonderful Andrew Gower by my side,' she added. 'Ellis is a character who resonates deeply, and I can't wait for audiences to see what we have in store for her and Harper in series two.' Channel 5 boss Paul Testar commented: 'Following the huge success of the first series of Ellis, we are thrilled for it to return with the brilliant Sharon D Clarke and Andrew Gower reprising their roles. 'We can't wait to bring the detective duo back to the 5 audience next year'. The second series is set to hit screens next year and fans raved over the first, with one leaving a review on IMDb comparing Ellis to Vera. They penned: 'If you like detectives in the style of Vera, Van der Valk, a super grumpy smart detectives with lots of quirks and sly humor, you'll like this show.... it has a lot of similarities.' While someone else on Rotten Tomatoes urged for another instalment and praised the talent: 'Multi faceted plots and some really excellent acting and casting. 'Intriguing plots. Would welcome another series. One of the better police series of recent times.' Another added: 'Excellent writing with well laid out red herrings and twists to keep audience guessing until the reveals. 'Superb acting from the leads.'; 'Fabulous writing, brilliant that each episode is individual. Excellent acting and cast. Cant wait for season 2 channel 5.' Holby City actress Sharon previously described how the 'brutal' weather conditions on set of Ellis affected her. 'I've got to be honest with you, the Belfast weather was brutal. Brutal. It continually rained. We had snow. My body couldn't cope with it,' she confessed. Reflecting on lighter moments during filming, she said: 'So on this beautiful sunny day, the scenes would go down, and Andy and I would turn the radio on and we'd sing at the top of our voices. 'And you had the radios in the car, and the crew who were in the other car could hear it. So there was like this big singalong going along the street. 'We had a lot of fun. It was an absolute pleasure, and a joy and a privilege to work with Andrew.' Full of yet more praise for her beloved co-star, she added: 'For me, the real gift of a job is when you take someone with you for life and Andrew is with me for life. That's the gift of Ellis for me, that I've come away with that friendship.' Ellis airs on Channel 5 and is available to stream on My5.
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Brilliant' detective drama set to return after smashing TV ratings
After the first series of Ellis was a massive ratings success, Channel 5 have confirmed it'll be back for a second season. Channel 5's hit detective drama Ellis is set for a thrilling second season after a smash-hit first series that premiered last October. Starring Sharon D. Clarke as the formidable FBI agent DCI Ellis, who's drafted in to crack failing investigations, the show quickly became a viewer favourite, pulling in an impressive 2.4 million fans. The three-part whodunit sees the 'tenacious cop' DCI Ellis and her faithful sidekick DS Harper (Andrew Gower), unravel a maze of 'cryptic clues' and a hefty 'complex conspiracy'. Fans were glued to their screens for each episode's lengthy 90-minute adventure which first captivated audiences in October. Bafta-nominated Sharon D. Clarke, couldn't hide her excitement about continuing her role. She said: "I am thrilled to return as DCI Ellis. "The response to the first series was overwhelming, and I am excited to continue this journey with such a talented team, especially with the wonderful Andrew Gower by my side." She added, eagerly anticipating the new mysteries, adding: "Ellis is a character who resonates deeply, and I can't wait for audiences to see what we have in store for her and Harper in series two." Acorn Media Enterprises (Acorn TV), equally enthused, noted: "Ellis was an instant fan-favourite for the Acorn TV audience and met with rave reviews from top critics for its elevated and smart storytelling brought to life by the incomparable Sharon D Clarke and Andrew Gower. "We could not be more excited to dive in on a second season of unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat cases with this dynamic pair." The series has been met with unanimous acclaim from audiences since its debit, reports Surrey Live. One viewer said: "Inspector Ellis is one of the best series of its kind to come along recently. It's serious without being morose or depressing. "It interjects humour sparingly, but perfectly timed. The actors are a natural fit for their roles, and the stories are intriguing without being too complicated." Another fan enthused: "This is one of the best detective shows we have watched for ages and definitely above average and better than my beloved Vera. "Sharon D Clark is superb in the role of Ellis and her sidekick DS Chet Harper is brilliantly played by Andrew Gower to give some humour to the drama." Meanwhile, a third admirer shared: "I think it is truly wonderful that not only is DCI Ellis an extremely strong woman, but an extremely strong Black woman at that. All the other actors are brilliant in the show as well." Ellis is available to watch on My5.
Metro
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
One of the 'best police dramas in years' confirms season 2 return
The widely praised Channel 5 detective series Ellis will return for a second season after proving a huge hit for the newly rebranded network. The three-episode show came out in October 2024 and follows the titular FBI agent, played by Mr Loverman star Sharon D. Clarke, 'parachuted in to resolve failing investigations'. The 'tenacious cop' is drawn into a trail of 'cryptic clues' she is drawn into a 'complex conspiracy' alongside her right-hand man DS Harper (Andrew Gower). The show drew in 2.4 million viewers when it was first released with each episode coming in at a whopping runtime of one hour 30 minutes. The groundbreaking crime drama is also the first black solo female-led detective series in the UK. The Bafta-nominated lead star celebrated the renewal, sharing: 'I am thrilled to return as DCI Ellis. The response to the first series was overwhelming, and I am excited to continue this journey with such a talented team, especially with the wonderful Andrew Gower by my side. 'Ellis is a character who resonates deeply, and I can't wait for audiences to see what we have in store for her and Harper in series two.' And Acorn Media Enterprises (Acorn TV) added: 'Ellis was an instant fan-favourite for the Acorn TV audience and met with rave reviews from top critics for its elevated and smart storytelling brought to life by the incomparable Sharon D Clarke and Andrew Gower. z 'We could not be more excited to dive in on a second season of unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat cases with this dynamic pair.' The series has been met with rave reviews. 'Inspector Ellis is one of the best series of its kind to come along recently. It's serious without being morose or depressing. It interjects humor sparingly, but perfectly timed. The actors are a natural fit for their rolls, and the stories are intriguing without being too complicated,' Laurie Comody praised on Google reviews. 'This is one of the best detective shows we have watched for ages and definitely above average and better than my beloved Vera. Sharon D Clark is superb in the role of Ellis and her sidekick DS Chet Harper is brilliantly played by Andrew Gower to give some humour to the drama,' Stephen Redmond waxed. 'I think it is truly wonderful that not only is DCI Ellis an extremely strong woman, but an extremely strong Black woman at that. All the other actors are brilliant in the show as well,' Bryan Knox praised. In the realm of critic reviews, Radio Times said it was 'the British detective drama that the genre has been crying out for.' It added: 'The show is helmed by Sharon D Clarke [three-time Olivier winner], who effortlessly pours wit, enigma and emotion into her leading role.' The Wall Street Journal said: 'Ellis may be seen by the inept and understaffed as a black female intruder, but her signature is really her grim attitude and, naturally, her near-flawless investigative gifts. 'Ms. Clarke makes her daunting and likeable, no small accomplishment, but the only way the show could survive.' Reflecting on portraying the complicated relationship between the Black British community and the police, Sharon told The Guardian this week: 'The show is based on Merseyside's first black female detective, and I spent a lot of time with her, learning about her experiences. More Trending 'And listen, when Cressida Dick said [in 2020] that there is no institutional racism in the police force … how much of a fool did she look? We have the marks and the scars and the funerals to show that it exists.' She continued that a role like this is 'long overdue'. 'When I started doing television, I would only be seen as a nurse. I played so many that I got to the point where I was like: 'I can't do it any more.' So I removed myself from television and didn't audition,' she said. View More » Ellis is available to stream on 5 now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: TV fans are completely hooked after just one episode of 'superb' thriller MORE: Anne Robinson: 'I used to tell people on TV they were overweight – I can't anymore' MORE: People are shocked to find out Peppa Pig's first name isn't Peppa
