‘World on Fire’ return date: BBC reveals when to expect Season 2

A new season of World on Fire is finally in production!

Three years after it debuted, the Second World War drama began filming new episodes earlier this month.

From the makers of Poldark and Endeavour, the first season of World on Fire was a hit when it premiered on BBC One in 2019, receiving great reviews.

A second season was officially announced in November 2019, but the planned 2020 shoot was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

With six new 60-minute episodes currently shooting in Northern Ireland, we’ve now got some idea about when Season 2 will air.

The BBC’s official line on the premiere date is: “The second series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2023.”

So we definitely won’t see World on Fire back on our screens this year.

Originally commissioned way back in 2017, Season 1 began filming in Liverpool in November 2018.

World on Fire premiered in the UK at the end of September 2019, ten months after production began.

If Season 2’s shoot goes to plan, this would suggest we can expect a UK release date around May 2023.

The first season of World on Fire premiered in the US on Masterpiece on PBS at the start of April 2020, just over six months after its UK launch.

This suggests that American viewers will get to see Season 2 around November 2023.

Of course, these dates are just estimates, and with Covid restrictions on set still affecting the speed of film and TV productions around the world, filming of the new season could take a bit longer to complete.

However, it’s worth nothing that with such a long delay between seasons, both the BBC and PBS will likely be wanting to get World on Fire back on TV as soon as possible, so the gap between UK and US broadcast will likely be shorter this time.

The official synopsis for Season 2 reads: “October 1940. Lone pilots are sent to destroy German bombers prowling the skies above Manchester as the Northern Blitz begins. The true reality of war has arrived in Britain.”

Last week we learned which cast members will be returning!

Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women) is of course back as Harry, alongside Lesley Manville, soon to be seen in the fifth season of The Crown and Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, as Harry’s mother, Robina.

Sadly, it looks like several original characters won’t be back.

World on Fire is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.