Rebus series 2: Ian Rankin's Rebus confirmed for second series on BBC

The first six-part series aired on BBC iPlayer last year and received widespread praise, scooping up three awards at the Scottish Royal Television Awards last month.

The series, based on Rankin’s celebrated Inspector Rebus novels, is filmed in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow and will air on BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland and BBC One.

Outlander’s Richard Rankin will return as the troubled Detective Sergeant John Rebus as he continues to navigate Edinburgh’s gritty underbelly and his own personal turmoil.

Eleventh Hour Films, the production company behind the hit show, said the second season would see Rebus explore the links between Edinburgh’s drug trade and the bourgeois world of law and finance.

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Rankin, who is returning as executive producer for the second time, said: “Season one of Rebus ended on a cliffhanger. Only screenwriter Gregory Burke knows what happens next. So I’m hugely excited that season two will soon be with us.

“Rebus is back - mean, moody and as magnificent as ever.”

In December, Rankin expressed doubts about a further series after admitting it was on hold due to lack of funding. He suggested the BBC was looking as far as Australia, Canada and the United States for potential backers.

Ahead of the new series, Mr Burke said: “I’m delighted to be given the chance by the BBC and Eleventh Hour Films to bring Rebus back to the nation’s TV screens once more.

“Ian Rankin’s character and body of work are the perfect materials with which to explore contemporary Scottish society and the turbulent world that surrounds it.”

Mr Burke first found fame as a playwright in the early 2000s. His play Black Watch, for the National Theatre of Scotland, debuted at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and was met with critical acclaim.

The debut episode of Rebus attracted 6.3 million viewers last year. The programme last month took home three coveted awards for best drama, writer and director at the Royal Television Society Scotland Awards.

Louise Thornton, head of commissioning for BBC Scotland, said: “We were blown away with the audience response to the new-look Rebus first time round, so bringing it back for a second series was always a priority.

“The combination of brilliant storytelling, powerful performances and top-class production values will make this new series must-see television.

“This commission is part of our recently announced strategy to bring more high impact scripted content from Scotland and we’re confident audiences will enjoy this next series as much as they did the first.”

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Rebus is part of a growing list of BBC dramas set across Scotland, including recently announced Counsels, The Young Team and Grams.

The BBC said the investment was part of a shift away from long-running series, including River City, towards shorter runs.

Murder mystery drama Shetland has begun filming for its tenth series and Vigil for a third series, and new crime family drama, Mint, is also being shot in Scotland.