Scripted

BBC Children’s and Education and ZDF Studios have greenlit a second season of tween live-action spy series The Lady Grace Mysteries, with production set to begin in July in Belgium before moving to the UK. Produced by Cottonwood Media and Coolabi Productions, the new season will comprise 13x24’ episodes, bringing the total episode count to 23. Federation Kids & Family and ZDF Studios handle worldwide distribution. The renewal follows the April premiere of the first season on CBBC and BBC iPlayer.

Based on the children's detective novels published by Working Partners, part of the Coolabi Group, The Lady Grace Mysteries follows 14-year-old Lady Grace Cavendish, the world's first teenage female detective, who serves as a private spy for Queen Elizabeth I while solving mysteries alongside her friends. Season two will see Grace embark on an undercover mission to rescue Sir Francis Drake, leading her to an encounter with Mary Queen of Scots. As she attempts to reconcile the two rival queens, she must also navigate new mysteries at court and the personal challenges of adolescence.

The new season introduces Amaree Ali as Daniel Bunting, Imogen Mackie Walker as Mary Queen of Scots, Jack Forsyth-Noble as Sir Francis Drake and Joy Tan as Lady Meadows. Anna McCleery returns as lead writer alongside Vicki Lutas and Karissa Hamilton-Bannis, with Tasha Dhanraj, Scott Payne, Thabo Mhlatshwa and Rebecca Ramsden joining the writing team. Louise Ní Fhiannachta returns as director, joined by BAFTA-winning Jordan Hogg.

“Following its fantastic debut on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, The Lady Grace Mysteries returns for a second series as a brilliant co-viewing experience for families. Its blend of adventure, warmth and humour creates a show that brings audiences together, sparking conversation and shared enjoyment across generations. We’re excited to continue working with our partners to deliver a series that offers even more moments for young viewers and their families to enjoy side by side,” said Sarah Muller, Senior Head of Children’s Commissioning 7+, BBC Children’s and Education.
“With its bold heroine, fast-paced storytelling and emotional depth, The Lady Grace Mysteries has all the ingredients of a modern classic for young audiences. Season Two allows us to build on the strong foundation of the first season and deliver an even more thrilling and visually rich experience in partnership with an exceptional creative team,” said Arne Lohmann, VP Junior, ZDF Studios.

“The Lady Grace Mysteries has so many twists and hooks that make the series truly engaging for viewers. It is also a very vibrant and heartfelt show that highlights the importance of friendship, family and loyalty. I am delighted to be working on this second season, so much so, I feel I live between two worlds – present day and that of the Elizabethan age!” added Manon Ardisson, Head of Drama, Cottonwood Media.
“We feel all partners on this production have such great synergy and vision for the production and we are elated to already be working on a second season. We feel we have a special drama series that has a unique allure, is emotionally authentic, fun, and relatable to kids, and young adults as well as providing exciting family viewing,” said Cottonwood Media co-founders David Michel, Cécile Laurenson and Zoé Carrera Allaix.
“The adaptation of our book series continues. Season two will delve into and expand the fictional adventures of Lady Grace and friends in the Elizabethan court. Our production partners are pushing already exceptional production values to even greater heights for this new season. Season one has already resulted in new book deals internationally; a testament to how well both book and screen stories are connecting with young audiences around the world,” said Michael Dee, SVP Television, and Chris Snowdon, EVP Books & Story, Coolabi Group.