BBC Children’s and Education has issued a second-season order for the family drama Crookhaven, based on the globally bestselling books by JJ Arcanjo and made by BBC Studios Kids & Family.
The series, with a cast that includes Dougray Scott, Lucas Leach, and Carmel Laniado, premiered in March of this year and ranks as the highest-performing CBBC show on iPlayer in 2026 so far. Across BBC One, CBBC and BBC iPlayer, the eight-part drama for the 7 to 12 set reached an average audience of 653,000 after 28 days, with 43% of under-16 viewers watching alongside an adult. The show logged 14.6 million video views across social media so far this year.
Sarah Muller, senior head of BBC Children’s commissioning 7-plus, said: “Crookhaven struck a real chord with audiences through its originality, ambition and brilliantly twisty storytelling. Original stories and characters sit at the heart of everything we do, and this series delivers that in abundance, with a world that feels distinctive, inclusive and full of intrigue. Bringing it back for a second series allows us to go even deeper into this rich, morally complex story and raise the stakes for the students of Crookhaven as they return for another unpredictable year.”
Cecilia Persson, MD of BBC Studios Kids & Family, added, “Crookhaven combines ambitious storytelling with world-class execution, capturing the imagination of audiences around the globe. We’re delighted to be able to expand the world further with a second series, allowing us to deepen those connections, raise the stakes, and bring even more viewers along for the journey.”
The series begins filming its second season in Northern Ireland this summer for a 2027 launch. Global distribution is handled by BBC Studios.
