Vigil is officially heading back to our screens - and this time, it’s getting even colder. The hit thriller is returning with a brand-new case that pulls DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) and DI Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) far from familiar waters and into a remote Arctic research station, where a member of a covert British special forces mission has been shot dead.
Now, BBC has shared a first glimpse of Jones and Leslie on their brand new mission - and it's safe to say this really is Suranne Jones at her best. And Rose Leslie too! We can't wait to see even more episodes of this brilliant and compelling BBC drama.
Here's everything you need to know, including new cast details and when the show is likely to air on BBC One.
What is Vigil season 3's release date?
While an exact release date hasn't been announced, we do know the new series will air later this year, which means the countdown officially starts now.
The third season was confirmed at the end of 2025, with writer Tom Edge saying at the time: "I’m delighted that Suranne and Rose are returning for a new adventure. In our third season we travel to the frozen north where the world’s great powers are competing to secure advantages as the ice melts."
So far the release schedule has looked a little like this:
- Vigil season 1 - August 2021
- Vigil season 2 - December 2023
Fans are going to have to wait a little bit longer for season three, which is looking slightly closer to a two and a half to three year gap than before.
What will happen in Vigil season 3?
Production began in September 2025 on the third season of the show, when the BBC shared a behind-the-scenes look at the cast filming in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
"Production on Vigil series 3 is officially underway in Svalbard and Scotland with Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie returning as DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre, alongside a brilliant cast," the caption read.
Thrown into a remote Arctic research station after a member of a covert British special forces mission is shot dead, DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre must track down the killer while preventing an international crisis sparked by a scramble for energy and resources in the rapidly changing polar climate - all while their careers and relationship hang in the balance.
Tom Edge added: "With a brilliant cast and crew assembling to make the show, we hope to deliver an epic investigation that shines a light on issues that will shape the world we all live in. This series grapples with the issues that will define tomorrow’s world. These issues include melting ice caps, conflict over resources, energy wars, and lives put at risk in pursuit of peace and profits."
The new pictures released on Wednesday 11th February 2026 give fans a first look at Amy and Kirsten's mission in the Arctic and includes returning cast Gary Lewis, Dominic Mafham and more.
Who is in the Vigil season 3 cast?
Alongside Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie, the third season will feature some familiar faces as well as newcomers, including Department Q’s Steven Miller, Wolfe’s Naomi Yang, and Danusia Samal, known for Red Eye.
Below is a full cast list:
- Suranne Jones as DCI Amy Silva
- Rose Leslie as DI Kirsten Longacre
- Gary Lewis as DS Robertson
- Dominic Mafham as Sir Ian Downing
- Jeppe Beck Laursen
- Steven Miller
- Naomi Yang
- Benjamin Wainwright
- Tornike Gogrichiani
- Danusia Samal
- Artur Zai Barrera
- Jordan Duvigneau
- Kaisa Hammarlund
- Adam Fidusiewicz
- Eric Godon
- Conor Berry
- Amy Manson
- Jason Tobin
- Steven Cree
- Killian Coyle
- Derek Riddell
- Alma Prelec
- Dawn Sievewright
- Shereen Cutkelvin
Vigil seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Season 3 will air on BBC One later this year.
