Beta Film, Eagle Eye, and UKTV unveil first clip on ‘Bookish’ as second season greenlit
Munich/London, 16 May 2025. Ahead of its world premiere at the Italian Global Series Festival (IGSF) in Riccione and Rimini, the British detective drama Bookish by and with the Emmy Award-winning Mark Gatiss has been greenlit for a second season. Produced by Eagle Eye Drama, filming for six new episodes will get underway this summer, with more details to be shared in the coming months.
Bookish will celebrate its world premiere at IGSF’s Drama Competition on Thursday, June 24 in attendance of main actor, creator, and producer Mark Gatiss. In the UK, season one will air in July on UKTV’s specialist crime drama channel U&alibi.
Blending post-war nostalgia and a thoroughly modern sensibility and tone, Bookish centers on the witty, extraordinary, and whip-smart bookshop owner Gabriel Book, played by Mark Gatiss, who is helping the police to solve the most uncrackable crimes. But he has a secret himself – as a gay man in the 1940s, he lives in a mutually agreed ‘lavender marriage’ with his childhood friend Trottie (Polly Walker). After having lost the love of his life in the war, Book’s past suddenly seems to catch up with him and poses a riddle that seems unsolvable, even for him.
Bookish is a stylish and colorful period detective drama with a difference. Executive producers for Eagle Eye Drama are Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino, Carolina Giammetta will be directing again. Season two is co-written with Matthew Sweet and Ian Hallard and produced by Jake Harvey.
Mark Gatiss said: “I’m thrilled that the team at U&alibi are allowing me to dive back into the world of Bookish and create more fiendish crimes for Gabriel Book and the team to solve. I can’t wait for viewers to immerse themselves in the world we’ve created when the first series airs in a few months’ time.”
Helen Perry, head of drama commissioning said: “Mark Gatiss is a singular creative force, whose work is loved by viewers. Bookish is the story Mark is most excited to tell and we are delighted to be bringing it to life. The world Mark has lovingly created for Bookish is so rich and colourful, series one was only ever going to be just the starting point. There’s so much more for Book to do, more characters for our viewers to meet and more stories to unravel - the potential for Bookish is vast. So, we can’t wait to continue working with Eagle Eye on series two and huge thanks to Mark for his limitless creative vision.”
Emma Tibbetts, director of programming, scripted added: “We can’t wait to return to the richly imaginative world of Bookish for a second series on U&alibi. Mark Gatiss has crafted another set of intriguing new stories for our audience, who will find themselves plunged further into the world of Gabriel Book, our intrepid bookseller on a mission to solve crimes. Viewers are in for a treat.”
Walter Iuzzolino, CEO of Eagle Eye Drama commented: “We are hugely proud and grateful to be given the opportunity to create the second series of Bookish. It was always our hope that the first series would be the foundation on which Mark could build a rich and growing universe of iconic stories, so being given the vote of confidence to create more unmissable mysteries for Gabriel Book and his gang to solve feels like an incredible privilege.”
Oliver Bachert, Beta Film’s Chief Distribution Officer: “We are delighted to continue our strong partnership with Eagle Eye and to see more of the witty, sharp, and brilliantly funny Mark Gatiss-led Bookish. The team delivered exceptional work on season one with top-tier writing, outstanding production value, and impeccable casting – and we’re very excited for what’s to come. As the international partner of such a compelling show, we look forward to season two and are confident its captivating story will enchant global audiences. With a series packed with incredibly witty and delightfully twisty crime cases, that is Bookish, you’re in for one unforgettable ride. Just as Mae West wisely said: ‘You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.'”
Bookish is produced by Eagle Eye Drama, an ITV Studios company, in association with Happy Duck Films and is supported by the Belgian Tax Shelter. Beta Film is handling the world sales, with PBS Distribution holding North American rights to season one.
Bookish (12x1h) is one of the latest projects in Beta Film’s longstanding collaboration with Eagle Eye Drama. Channel 4’s Patience (14x1h) was recently renewed for a second season and follows in the footsteps of the highly successful series The Couple Next Door (12x1h), Channel 4’s biggest drama streaming launch ever. Additionally, Eagle Eye and Beta recently announced the fifth season of the audience success Professor T (30x1h).
Bookish will celebrate its world premiere at IGSF’s Drama Competition on Thursday, June 24 in attendance of main actor, creator, and producer Mark Gatiss. In the UK, season one will air in July on UKTV’s specialist crime drama channel U&alibi.
Blending post-war nostalgia and a thoroughly modern sensibility and tone, Bookish centers on the witty, extraordinary, and whip-smart bookshop owner Gabriel Book, played by Mark Gatiss, who is helping the police to solve the most uncrackable crimes. But he has a secret himself – as a gay man in the 1940s, he lives in a mutually agreed ‘lavender marriage’ with his childhood friend Trottie (Polly Walker). After having lost the love of his life in the war, Book’s past suddenly seems to catch up with him and poses a riddle that seems unsolvable, even for him.
Bookish is a stylish and colorful period detective drama with a difference. Executive producers for Eagle Eye Drama are Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino, Carolina Giammetta will be directing again. Season two is co-written with Matthew Sweet and Ian Hallard and produced by Jake Harvey.
Mark Gatiss said: “I’m thrilled that the team at U&alibi are allowing me to dive back into the world of Bookish and create more fiendish crimes for Gabriel Book and the team to solve. I can’t wait for viewers to immerse themselves in the world we’ve created when the first series airs in a few months’ time.”
Helen Perry, head of drama commissioning said: “Mark Gatiss is a singular creative force, whose work is loved by viewers. Bookish is the story Mark is most excited to tell and we are delighted to be bringing it to life. The world Mark has lovingly created for Bookish is so rich and colourful, series one was only ever going to be just the starting point. There’s so much more for Book to do, more characters for our viewers to meet and more stories to unravel - the potential for Bookish is vast. So, we can’t wait to continue working with Eagle Eye on series two and huge thanks to Mark for his limitless creative vision.”
Emma Tibbetts, director of programming, scripted added: “We can’t wait to return to the richly imaginative world of Bookish for a second series on U&alibi. Mark Gatiss has crafted another set of intriguing new stories for our audience, who will find themselves plunged further into the world of Gabriel Book, our intrepid bookseller on a mission to solve crimes. Viewers are in for a treat.”
Walter Iuzzolino, CEO of Eagle Eye Drama commented: “We are hugely proud and grateful to be given the opportunity to create the second series of Bookish. It was always our hope that the first series would be the foundation on which Mark could build a rich and growing universe of iconic stories, so being given the vote of confidence to create more unmissable mysteries for Gabriel Book and his gang to solve feels like an incredible privilege.”
Oliver Bachert, Beta Film’s Chief Distribution Officer: “We are delighted to continue our strong partnership with Eagle Eye and to see more of the witty, sharp, and brilliantly funny Mark Gatiss-led Bookish. The team delivered exceptional work on season one with top-tier writing, outstanding production value, and impeccable casting – and we’re very excited for what’s to come. As the international partner of such a compelling show, we look forward to season two and are confident its captivating story will enchant global audiences. With a series packed with incredibly witty and delightfully twisty crime cases, that is Bookish, you’re in for one unforgettable ride. Just as Mae West wisely said: ‘You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.'”
Bookish is produced by Eagle Eye Drama, an ITV Studios company, in association with Happy Duck Films and is supported by the Belgian Tax Shelter. Beta Film is handling the world sales, with PBS Distribution holding North American rights to season one.
Bookish (12x1h) is one of the latest projects in Beta Film’s longstanding collaboration with Eagle Eye Drama. Channel 4’s Patience (14x1h) was recently renewed for a second season and follows in the footsteps of the highly successful series The Couple Next Door (12x1h), Channel 4’s biggest drama streaming launch ever. Additionally, Eagle Eye and Beta recently announced the fifth season of the audience success Professor T (30x1h).
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