Season two of Noughts + Crosses will air on BBC One on 26 April.
The show is set in an alternative Great Britain called Albion, where the dark-skinned Crosses rule over the light-skinned Noughts. It centres around a forbidden romance between Callum, a Nought, and Sephy, a Cross.
Many cast members from the first season will reprise their roles. Masali Baduza will play Sephy, and Callum will be played by Jack Rowan. Helen Baxendale will also return as Meggie McGregor, while Bonnie Mbuli will return as Jasmine Hadley, Jonathan Ajayi as Lekan Baako, Kiké Brimah as Minerva Hadley, Paterson Joseph as Kamal Hadley, and Josh Dylan as Jude McGregor.
Comedian Judi Love will join the cast as TV presenter Chidi Abara alongside Michael Dapaah, who will play her onscreen co-host Mensah.
Dapaah said: “Joining the series was an honour, especially because of how renowned Malorie Blackman’s novels are and what they represent. I enjoyed watching season one and I’m a fan of director Koby Adom’s previous work.
“For me it was time to properly enter the world of acting and this was a great introduction for me. I wanted to show people and myself that I can play a role which isn’t so heavily comedic and can do so much more, and I found this character Mensah really entertaining, which is always a bonus.”
Other new cast members include Mayuri Naidu as Shashi Bandara MP, Iretiola Doyle as the Empress of Aprica, Jasmine Jobson as Cara, and Morgan Watkins in an unannounced role.
The show is an adaption of Malorie Blackman’s 2001 novel of the same name.
Blackman said: “I am delighted that Noughts + Crosses is returning for a second series. So many people have asked me, ’So what happens next?’. Now they will find out! Having read the scripts, I think I can safely say that even those familiar with the Noughts & Crosses series of books will find surprises, suspense and so much to savour.”
The show is written by Lydia Adetunji and Jerome Bucchan-Nelson and directed by Koby Adom. It was filmed in South Africa and the UK, and the first season aired on 5 March 2020.
Season two of Noughts + Crosses will begin on 26 April at 10:40pm on BBC One. The full boxset can be streamed on BBC iPlayer.
Words by Ellen Leslie
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