The Night Manager has finally returned. After a ten-year wait, Tom Hiddleston is back as the complex former spy Jonathan Pine in a new six-part season. The second season premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on January 1, 2026, with a global release on Amazon Prime Video scheduled for January 11. Blending psychological tension with globe-trotting action, the show is poised to be a major television event.
The story finds Pine, now living under the alias Alex Goodwin, working a quiet surveillance job for MI6 in London. His attempt at a normal life ends when he spots a mercenary from his past, pulling him back into a dangerous world of arms dealing and conspiracy centered around a new adversary, the Colombian businessman Teddy Dos Santos.
The New Mission for Jonathan Pine
Jonathan Pine is in a different place when the new season begins. Eight years after the events of the first season, he has traded field work for a desk job. He leads a small, nocturnal MI6 unit called the “Night Owls,” which conducts passive surveillance on luxury London hotels.
“Nothing above the parapet,” Pine’s mentor Rex Mayhew warns him. “That face is too pretty to lose.”
This peace shatters when Pine, monitoring security footage, recognizes Jaco Brouwer, a former associate of the arms dealer Richard Roper. This sighting acts as a trigger, sending Pine on a personal mission that official channels seem to ignore. To infiltrate the new operation, Pine sheds his Alex Goodwin identity and becomes Matthew Ellis, a wealthy and reckless financier who can gain access to high society.
His investigation leads him to Teddy Dos Santos, played by Diego Calva, who is presented as a “true disciple” of the now-deceased Richard Roper, running guns into Colombia. Pine’s only potential ally is Roxana Bolaños, a sharp businesswoman played by Camila Morrone, who reluctantly helps him navigate Dos Santos’s world.
A Returning and Expanding Cast
The core of the celebrated original cast returns. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Jonathan Pine, bringing what reviewers note is a deeper, more haunted quality to the character after a decade. Olivia Colman is back as Angela Burr, the MI6 officer who first recruited Pine, though her role appears more peripheral at the start of this new chapter.
Several key supporting actors from season one also return, including Douglas Hodge as Rex Mayhew, Alistair Petrie as Sandy Langbourne, and Michael Nardone as Frisky. Noah Jupe returns as Danny Roper, the son of the late arms dealer. While Hugh Laurie‘s character, Richard Roper, is confirmed to be dead, Laurie himself is involved as an executive producer for the new season.
The new season introduces a host of new characters. Diego Calva (Narcos: Mexico) stars as the enigmatic antagonist Teddy Dos Santos. Camila Morrone plays the pivotal role of Roxana Bolaños. Within MI6, new faces include Indira Varma as the new Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, Mayra Cavendish, and Paul Chahidi and Hayley Squires as other officers.
Critical and Fan Reception to the Return
The return of The Night Manager after a decade has generated significant discussion and mixed reactions. Some critics have praised the show for retaining its signature style and suspense. One review stated the new season has “the pace, the intrigue, the sly sexiness; all are retained,” and called it “gripping without being excessively silly”.
However, the new season faces the challenge of living up to a highly praised original. Some reviews point out that while still high-quality, the show may have lost some of its unique spark without the direct presence of Hugh Laurie’s Richard Roper as the villain. The dynamic has shifted from a battle within the British upper classes to a more international conflict.
Fan reactions on social media have been divided. Some viewers expressed disappointment, with comments ranging from calling the premiere “dire” to noting difficulty following the plot after such a long gap. Others were quick to praise the return, with one viewer calling the first two episodes “absolutely superb” and another stating the chemistry was still strong.
How and Where to Watch Globally
The release strategy for The Night Manager Season 2 involves a staggered international rollout.
- In the United Kingdom: The season premiered on BBC One on January 1, 2026. Episodes are being released weekly. The first two episodes were made available on BBC iPlayer at launch, with subsequent episodes dropping each Sunday. Episode 3 is scheduled for January 11.
- In the United States, Canada, Australia, and internationally (outside the UK): The entire season will be available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video starting January 11, 2026. Prime Video typically releases all episodes of a season at once for binge-watching.
- Streaming Details: In the UK, BBC iPlayer is a free streaming service requiring a TV license. Internationally, Amazon Prime Video requires a subscription, which often comes with a 30-day free trial for new users.
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Behind the Scenes and Production Scale
Creating a sequel to a beloved, award-winning show without source material was a unique challenge. Screenwriter David Farr, who adapted the first season from John le Carré’s novel, wrote an original story for the continuation.
“David Farr has achieved the impossible,” Tom Hiddleston said. “The Night Manager was based on a novel by John le Carré, there was no second novel, no sequel. David has written it with all the sophistication and complexity that le Carré would approve of and admire.”
The series is now directed by Georgi Banks-Davies, taking over from Susanne Bier. Hiddleston commended Banks-Davies for her focus on character vulnerability and emotional truth. The production maintained its international scope, with filming taking place over 93 days in London, Spain, France, and extensively in Colombia. Producers noted that “more than 75% of the story is about Colombia,” a setting hinted at in le Carré’s original book but not used in the first season.
The future of the franchise is already secured, as a third season has been officially confirmed.
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