Blue Lights Season 2 Recap: Everything to Know Before Season 3

The award-winning police drama Blue Lights returns for its third season on BritBox. For everyone needing a refresher on the intense events that rocked Belfast, here is a complete breakdown of the key characters and storylines from the second season.

A Grim Discovery and a New Criminal Empire

The season opened with officers Grace Ellis and Stevie Neil responding to a call that led them to the dead body of a military veteran, Ian “Snoopy” Campbell. Their investigation into his overdose death pulled them into a shadowy loyalist underworld, centering on a local pub frequented by ex-soldiers. This case exposed layers of trauma connected to the city’s violent past.

Their probe introduced them to Lee Thompson, Snoopy’s ex-army friend. Lee was a driver for Jim “Dixie” Dixon, a drug runner who mocked Snoopy’s death. Lee retaliated, starting a feud that escalated into a series of attacks and arsons, culminating in Dixie’s murder. This violent power grab allowed Lee to seize control and become the top drug lord in East Belfast. He used his taxi firm to transport drugs and began grooming his 12-year-old nephew, Henry, into the criminal life.

The Personal Lives of the Officers

While navigating these professional dangers, the officers faced significant personal challenges. Grace and Stevie grew closer as partners, with Stevie confronting the grief of losing his wife and admitting how protective he had become of Grace. Their partnership ended the season on a hopeful, romantic note.

Meanwhile, Jen Robinson, who left the police force after the death of her colleague Gerry, began studying to become a solicitor. Her own investigation connected her to Happy Kelly, a man whose family was killed in a 1978 chip shop bombing. Jen uncovered that a retired RUC officer, Robin Graham, had prior knowledge of the bombing. While she couldn’t prove it, her pursuit exposed historic cover-ups within Northern Ireland’s justice system.

Annie became Grace’s new roommate and started patrolling with Tommy. She advised Tommy to reconnect with Aisling Byrne, a Derry officer he met during training. Their relationship blossomed throughout the season. A new officer, PC Shane Bradley, joined the team. While presenting himself as a model cop, his behavior hinted at ulterior motives. He later pushed Tommy into an unauthorized mission that resulted in Tommy being brutally beaten. Annie eventually forgave Shane for his role in the incident.

The Dramatic Season Finale

The season reached its climax with the collapse of Lee Thompson’s criminal empire. His young nephew, Henry, accidentally fired a loaded gun at Stevie and Grace’s patrol car. While the officers survived unharmed, the event showed how deeply Lee had corrupted his own family.

Lee tried to use the incident to his advantage, editing video footage to frame the police as aggressors firing at a child. His downfall came when his sister, horrified by what he had done to her son, decided to expose him. She told Grace about Lee’s shady dealings with a figure named Canning, and confessed his role in the arson, murder, and incitement of hatred. This led to his arrest and the dismantling of his drug operation.

The season ended with Lee’s empire in ruins and our main officers navigating their changed relationships, setting the stage for new challenges.

New Dangers in Season 3

The upcoming season moves the officers into a different kind of peril. Now two years into their jobs, Grace, Annie, and Tommy are no longer rookies. They will face a new threat hidden behind respectable middle-class facades.

Season 3 will pull them into the world of criminal facilitators—the lawyers and accountants who enable organized crime. With the old political and criminal order gone, global gangs are moving into Belfast, bringing danger closer to home than ever before.

The main cast, including Siân Brooke, Katherine Devlin, and Nathan Braniff, all return. They are joined by new cast members Cathy Tyson as a powerful private club owner and Michael Smiley as a calculating intelligence officer.

Blue Lights Season 3 premieres November 13, 2025 on BritBox, with new episodes released weekly.

---