A second series of Irish-English co-production ‘Ripper Street’ has been commissioned by BBC, with the production expected to return to Dublin in spring 2013.
The first series, which is currently airing on BBC One, filmed in Clancy Barracks in Dublin for 19 weeks last summer, and was an Element Pictures, Tiger Aspect and Lookout Point co-production.
The BBC announced it had ordered a second series of the show yesterday, with series creator Richard Warlow and Tiger Aspect’s Will Gould returning. In series one, Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn and Adam Rothenberg star as policemen and a doctor living in Whitechapel in 1880s London, in the aftermath of the Jack the Ripper murders.
While no announcement has been made on the Irish leg of production, as well as cast, it is expected the production will return to Clancy Barracks, which is currently the filming location of another BBC-Element and Tyrone Productions series, ‘Quirke’.
A source close to the production said they “loved” their time in Ireland, and would be more than happy to situate the production here a second time. An announcement on the Irish co-producers and Irish filming locations is expected soon.
Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC Drama commissioning, says: “Quality and ambition run through ‘Ripper Street’, from Richard Warlow’s original scripts, the incredible cast and the captivating direction. All combine to create a period series with a modern and gripping edge that will return for a second series in 2014.”
In series one of ‘Ripper Street’, Monaghan actress Charlene McKenna plays brothel worker Rose, who has a close relationship with both Rothenberg and Flynn’s characters. Other key Irish crew include Ed Guiney, producer for Element, costume designer Lorna Marie Mugan, and DoP PJ Dillon.
Screen Scene and Egg Post Production looked after VFX and sound post respectively.
The first series of ‘Ripper Street’ was funded by the Irish Film Board, and benefited from Section 481.
Irish production designer Mark Geraghty designed the entire set of ‘Ripper Street’, which consists of a police station with cells, a brothel, a bar as well as houses. Geraghty has been nominated for an IFTA Award for his work.
‘Ripper Street’, estimated to have brought in €8m in revenue, was one of the biggest international co-productions to film in Ireland in 2012. It joined HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’, funded by NI Screen and the European Regional Development Fund, which filmed in Northern Ireland, and The History Channel’s ‘Vikings’, which shot in Wicklow.
In 2012, Irish productions brought in more than €100m, with €80m going directly to cast and crew working in the Irish film and television industry.
The second series is expected to begin filming in the spring, with a broadcast date scheduled for 2014.
‘Ripper Street’ series one airs on BBC One on Sunday nights at 9pm.
