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This City is Ours, the award-winning hit drama created and written by Stephen Butchard and produced by Left Bank Pictures, returned for series two on Sunday 25 October. The show has already been commissioned for a third series, which will film primarily in Liverpool in 2027.

Series One gained critical acclaim and received BAFTA Television Award nominations for Best Drama and Leading Actor (James Nelson-Joyce). 

We caught up with the show's creator and writer Stephen Butchard in Liverpool ahead of the launch of Series Two, hear more from him below.

Was the writing process different for Series 2 compared to Series 1?

Yes and no. The beautiful thing about it was that the characters were fully formed and we knew who they were. And the actors have brought their own magic to the characters as well. So it was easier to think, as the characters would think. That that was more concrete.

Another easy thing was I knew where we were going to start, you know, what happened at the end of series one, you can't ignore. So, I always knew that was the starting point. But it's always kind of difficult and a little bit daunting when you look, there's eight hours of drama and it's Â鶹Éç hours [so that's] a lot of time to fill. But, it's a case of just putting the first foot forward and then just following the truth really. Okay, how do they feel about this? And asking questions of the characters and just build it slowly from there. So it was just a lovely place to go back into, because I think series one was so rewarding for everyone.

Did you feel a sense of pressure writing Series 2 after the success of Series 1?

I didn't see it as pressure at all. What I saw was not a challenge, not pressure; but, that we have made a really good series, so let's make sure we don't drop the ball. Let's make this one as good and then maybe better. Let's just strive for that, you know, don't feel pressure. But that's the goal, that's the aim [and] all the tools were there. It was the same cast and crew [so] there was no reason why we couldn't do it.

What were you interested in exploring more in series 2 from a storytelling perspective?

Going into each of the characters a little bit more. Because, when you're doing series one, you start off on the page and the characters, but they've not been cast yet. And then suddenly you've got this wonderful cast and they're all brilliant, and you can't fall into the trap of serving the actors that you love and forgetting about the story. The story has to drive things. But then there was more room just to go a bit deeper; and then we may have touched on something in series one, you can go a little bit deeper into that. You can test certain relationships that bit more, how much do Michael and Diana really love each other [when] this pressure's building. But again, [I always find] you've got to go the way of the truth really.

What do you think sets This City Is Ours apart from other crime dramas?

I think it is about the relationships and these people, some are family, but they are all family in a way. Some are blood relations, but they are all family, no matter how nasty and bad they are to each other, they are still family. You know [you] fall out with a family member, but you get back together again ultimately, whereas if you're strangers you may not. So yeah, I think the relationships in it and the family aspects to it, and the fact that it feels real and the fact that they are going on with this strange, heightened life but [doing] ordinary things at the same time. They might have a nicer car and stuff like that, but it's still a family thing, and it's still kind of an ordinary family life that they lead - but it's that one step removed. And I think because of that, because they live in this odd world, that brings more pressures on them as individuals as well.

I've spoken about it before, and it is a Shakespearean world. It's a world of heightened pressures, heightened greed, heightened love, heightened power, heightened paranoia, all of that. But, what people will recognise is the relationships between the characters.

What do you find hard about being a writer?

I think sometimes, not necessarily hard, but sometimes I do have to remind myself that I am really, really blessed, lucky, whatever, to be doing this and stop having a down moment. Stop pontificating, stuff like that, and just embrace it and do it. This is a really, really great thing to be doing. But, you know, I think no matter what your job, sometimes you get a little bit moany about it, a little bit depressed.

I think, and this is just for any writer, and it's more difficult when you're starting off, but you have to be careful about the jobs that you do because you're going to have to live with it for a length of time. And I have certainly been in positions where I just thought, I don't want to do this. Even now, you know, sometimes you do a job and go, ‘I really hope this doesn't get picked up. I'm not enjoying this whatsoever!’ It sounded good, but, you know, you get into it and you go 'no, this isn't, I can't live with this for two years. Let's hope this this doesn't go anywhere.' So that's the only thing. But, you know, quickly, you just go, what's to complain about really?

What is the best writing advice you remember hearing?

I'm not sure where it came from [and] you don't want it to be insulting or glib - but it is write. It is just write, you know? It might have even been , but I heard him saying, not to me personally, but I heard him saying [it] just write. There's nothing stopping you from writing, and that's the only way you're going to get better is just to write. And you do get better, you really do, because I've found that is the case, definitely.

Do you have a favourite time and place to write?

I still like going to cafes. I still like going to, just a coffee shop. Particularly early mornings, something like that, and getting there about half seven, and you're there for a couple of hours and you feel as though you're doing some work and you look at your watch and it's only half past nine and I've done a bit already! Yeah, so I still like doing that, I still like going to coffee shops and writing.