BBC1 Baptiste: Show returns on Sunday night

Baptiste is BACK! The Missing spin-off returns on Sunday for a gripping second season that sees the seasoned detective help a British diplomat find her family

  • Detective drama Baptiste returns to BBC1 on Sunday for its second season 
  • The show, starring Tchéky Karyo in the title role, is a spin-off of The Missing 
  • Series stars Killing Eve’s Fiona Shaw as an ambassador who’s family is missing 
  • Trailer promises a gripping ride as Baptiste searches to solve a mystery 

Dark detective drama Baptiste returns to screens this Sunday night for its much-anticipated second series. 

The show, a spin-off of BBC drama The Missing, will see French actor Tchéky Karyo reprise the role of grizzled private detective Julien Baptiste, who has dedicated his life to finding missing persons. 

The first series, which aired in 2019, saw Baptiste traipse across the Netherlands in search of a missing sex worker with ties to an Englishman named Edward Stratton (Tom Hollander). 

This time Baptiste is called in to help British Ambassador Emma Chambers (played by Killing Eve and Fleabag’s Fiona Shaw), pictured together, whose husband (Stuart Campbell) and two teenage sons disappear from their hotel room in Hungary 

The show also jumps between two timelines - the start of Emma's case and 14 months afterwards. Glimpses of the future show Baptiste looking decidedly worse for wear (pictured)

The show also jumps between two timelines – the start of Emma’s case and 14 months afterwards. Glimpses of the future show Baptiste looking decidedly worse for wear (pictured)

It ended on a note of personal devastation for Baptiste after he discovered he had a secret son, who went on to kill his mother in the series finale. 

This time Baptiste is called in to help British Ambassador Emma Chambers (played by Killing Eve and Fleabag’s Fiona Shaw) whose husband (Stuart Campbell) and two teenage sons disappear from their Hungarian hotel room.

Although the family initially appear to be a happy family unit, it soon becomes clear that they are anything but.

Meanwhile Baptiste is still reeling from the drama and loss of his previous case in the Netherlands and is found living in a dank hotel room, having pushed away his devoted life Celia. 

Looking for something to distract him from his personal hell, Baptiste volunteers to help Emma after spotting her case in the news. ‘I find people Mrs Chambers, I’ve done this all my life,’ he says in the trailer.

There will be more action and twists as Baptiste sets about finding the ambassador's family

There will be more action and twists as Baptiste sets about finding the ambassador’s family 

But the case is more complex than it first appears and Baptiste finds himself battling with a police force he doesn’t trust, while standing in the glare of the media spotlight. 

The show also jumps between two timelines – the start of Emma’s case and 14 months afterwards. 

Glimpses of Baptiste in the future suggests something dramatic happens that sparks a downwards turn, while Emma is using a future just over a year after the start of the case. 

Although Baptiste was originally intended as a triology, writers Harry and Jack Williams confirmed this will be the last time the detective is seen on our screens. 

The show, a spin-off of BBC drama The Missing, will see French actor Tchéky Karyo reprise the role of grizzled private detective Julien Baptiste, who has dedicated his life to finding missing persons

The show, a spin-off of BBC drama The Missing, will see French actor Tchéky Karyo reprise the role of grizzled private detective Julien Baptiste, who has dedicated his life to finding missing persons 

‘I think we began to worry that it would become a formula,’ Harry said. ‘Do we suddenly make him just another cop?

‘When we wrote it we started to realise that if we did this, we wouldn’t get to do another one. It’s about doing the right thing for the character and not going “Hey, we’ll be back next year with more crazy adventures.” It’s something great, that we all love and we’re proud of.’

Baptiste premieres on Sunday at 9pm on BBC1, with all six episodes available immediately on iPlayer.

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