The hit Belfast police drama Blue Lights is officially coming back for a fourth season. The BBC confirmed the news in a major two-season renewal, guaranteeing more episodes after the conclusion of season three.
The Official Renewal
Blue Lights was renewed for both its third and fourth seasons in a single announcement made in February 2024. This early commitment from the BBC allows the show’s creators to plan long-term stories for the characters.
Co-creators and writers Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson said they were thrilled by the network’s commitment.
“We’re thrilled that the BBC is committing to Blue Lights in this way. From the beginning, we wanted to write a show that had scale and ambition in its storytelling, and this decision gives us everything we need to do that,” they stated. “Thanks to our audience who have responded so powerfully to the show. Time for us to get to work!”
Lindsay Salt, BBC Director of Drama, also confirmed the show’s future, saying the corporation is committed to “bring two more series of our beloved Belfast drama to air.”
Who Is Coming Back for Season 4?
While the full cast list for the new season is not yet official, the core team of officers is expected to return. The show would not be the same without its central characters, and viewers can likely look forward to seeing these key actors reprise their roles.
The anticipated returning cast includes:
- Siân Brooke as Grace Ellis
- Martin McCann as Stevie Neil
- Katherine Devlin as Annie Conlon
- Nathan Braniff as Tommy Foster
- Joanne Crawford as Helen McNally
- Andi Osho as Sandra Cliff
- Frank Blake as Shane Bradley
- Dearbháile McKinney as Aisling
- Michael Smiley as Paul ‘Colly’ Collins
When Will Blue Lights Season 4 Be Released?
An exact release date has not been set, but a pattern has emerged from the previous seasons. The first season debuted in March 2023, the second season arrived in April 2024, and the third season premiered in September 2025.
Based on this pattern, most speculation points toward a release for Season 4 in 2026. A spring or early autumn release next year seems most likely for the continuation of the drama.
The Story So Far
The third season of Blue Lights, which concluded in November 2025, took the officers deep into a new kind of threat. The story involved a global gang ruling Belfast and focused on the sophisticated world of middle-class professionals like accountants and lawyers who facilitate organized crime. This brought danger closer to home for the main characters than ever before.
Personal struggles were also a major focus. Grace confronted a troubled teen from her past as a social worker, Annie dealt with profound personal loss and continued threats, and Tommy supported his girlfriend Aisling as she faced a severe trauma following a horrific car crash. The season ended with several story threads unresolved, setting the stage for the next chapter.
Season four is expected to continue exploring the personal and professional challenges the team faces in a city with a unique and complex political history. The show is known for tackling difficult subjects and basing its plotlines on real-world events in Northern Ireland, making it a grounded and powerful drama.
Fans of the series can catch up on all 18 existing episodes of Blue Lights from the first three seasons, which are available to stream in full on BBC iPlayer.
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