Everything you need to know about SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 (2024)

SAS Rogue Heroes has officially been renewed for season two.

The BBC show opened to an audience of 9.4 million for its very first episode, making it the third biggest new drama launch of 2022 for the broadcaster behind The Tourist and The Responder. So, really, news of its return should come as no surprise.

The historical drama depicts the origins of the Special Air Service (aka the SAS) during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II, as young officer David Stirling fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest and brightest soldiers to create mayhem behind enemy lines.

Season one was a wild (and we mean wild) ride, but if history is anything to go by (which it is), then season two is set to take that shock factor and crank it up to a new gear.

So what can we expect from SAS Rogue Heroes season two and when will it be released?

Here's everything you need to know.

When will SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 come out?

At this stage we don't have a confirmed release date for the second season of SAS Rogue Heroes. However, we have had plenty of updates that could help us workout a timeline.

The wartime series' future was confirmed with a "to be continued" caption at the end of the final episode, and as history dictates, there's plenty more to be explored.

Creator Steven Knight celebrated the announcement of a second season, saying: "After the roaring success of Rogue Heroes I'm delighted to be embarking on the next chapter of the story. Series two will take the SAS into mainland Europe and will take our heroes to the limits of their endurance."

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, added: "The fantastic response and huge iPlayer figures for SAS Rogue Heroes is a testament to Steven Knight's incredible skill for turning our history into modern, must-see TV.

"BBC viewers have really taken this series to their hearts, and we're delighted to be working with Steven and Kudos to bring the Rogue Heroes' exciting next chapter to life."

In May 2023, the BBC confirmed that production on season two had begun, with filming locations in both the UK and Croatia.

Then in September, director Stephen Woolfenden revealed on social media that the show had completed filming.

In a post on X (aka Twitter), he wrote: "Wrapped on SAS Rogue Heroes 2!!! 81 shoot days, 6 episodes, 370’ish scenes, almost 2,000 slates across two units. Croatia, Italy, England & Scotland. Boats, planes, tanks, Jeeps, bicycles, donkeys, beaches, towns, castles and an extraordinary cast and crew… Thank you all!"

While an exact release date is yet to be announced, the new season shouldn't be too far off now, considering it is now in the post-production stage.

Considering production on season one commenced in March 2021 and the show wasn't released until October the following year, we'd expect new episodes to arrive in late 2024 – although we obviously hope it is a bit sooner than that!

Watch this space and we'll let you know as soon as we hear something more concrete.

Who is in the SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 cast?

At the same time as the filming announcement, the BBC also revealed the SAS Rogue Heroes cast members who would be returning for season two.

This, of course, includes the show's two leading men, Connor Swindells and Jack O'Connell, reprising their respective roles as David Stirling and Paddy Mayne in the next instalment.

Other cast members returning are:

• Dominic West as Dudley Clarke
• Theo Barklem-Biggs as Reg Seekings
• Corin Silva as Jim Almonds
• Jacob Ifan as Pat Riley
• Jacob McCarthy as Johnny Cooper
• Stuart Campbell as Bill Fraser
• Bobby Schofield as Dave Kershaw

We'll be discussing SAS Rogue Heroes spoilers from this point on.

The fate of Sofia Boutella's fictional character, Eve Mansour, was a little more uncertain at the end of the first season. Stirling was informed that his lover was presumed dead after her plane went down while returning from Alexandria, but since it appeared that no body has been discovered, there was always a chance that she was still alive.

And that chance might be about to become true, as Boutella is also in the returning cast list, which should give viewers hope for Eve's survival.

One cast member who definitely won't be returning is Alfie Allen, whose character Jock Lewes was shot dead by a German fighter plane on his way back from a raid. His body has never been recovered and still lies somewhere in the North African desert.

Meanwhile, there are also a host of new cast members joining the show for its next outing.

As has been speculated, David's brother Lieutenant Bill Stirling, the founder of the 2SAS regiment, will be introduced in the new season, played by The Great's Gwilym Lee.

Con O'Neil (Happy Valley) will play British Commander General Montgomery, while Mark Rowley (The Last Kingdom) and Jack Barton (Heartstopper) will play new SAS recruits Jock McDiarmid and John Tonkin.

Also joining the cast for season two are Paolo De Vita, Anna Mauelli, Edward Bennett and Matteo Franco.

What will happen in SAS Rogue Heroes season 2?

As Knight's statement informs us, the next season is set to take place in mainland Europe and follow the SAS as they test the "limits of their endurance". But what will this actually entail?

After being taken prisoner in January 1943, David Stirling, who the Germans often referred to as 'The Phantom Major', spent the rest of the war as a prisoner. He made multiple escape attempts until he was transferred to the supposedly 'escape-proof' Colditz Castle.

Due to his capture (as shown in the series), Stirling was replaced as Commander 1st SAS by Paddy Mayne, who's described often as 'The Legendary Paddy Mayne' and went on to become of the most highly decorated soldiers of the Second World War.

Related: SAS Rogue Heroes' true story is even wilder than the show

Following a victorious campaign in North Africa, Mayne spearheaded the invasion of Sicily – which was famously dubbed by Winston Churchill as attacking the "soft underbelly" of Europe.

After Sicily, they went on to invade mainland Italy with the newly formed 2nd SAS, a unit which had been formed by Stirling's older brother, Lieutenant Colonel Bill Stirling.

Considering many of 'the originals' of the SAS have described the combat fighting in Italy as the most brutal they had ever endured, it's a safe bet that season two will provide viewers with another action-packed outing.

After the Italian Campaign, the SAS were then involved in operations deep behind enemy lines in mainland France months before the D-Day invasion, though it's possible this will be explored in a potential third season should season two focus solely on the invasion of Italy.

The BBC's synopsis for the new season reads: "Spring, 1943. With David Stirling captured and Paddy Mayne now in charge of the SAS, their attention must turn from the conflict in North Africa to mainland Europe. But GHQ have cast doubt over the future of the regiment, while the creation of a new unit and a surprise arrival makes things even more difficult for the men.

"Can they prove that the SAS remains essential to the war, wherever it may lead them?"

In May, Knight teased what fans had to look forward to in the new season in a statement to the broadcaster, and said: "It's so good to be back in the wild world of the SAS so soon. The second chapter is even more incredible than the first and we hope to do justice to the brave men and women whose story we are telling."

Is there a trailer for SAS Rogue Heroes season 2?

There isn't a season two trailer as of yet, but a release date is hopefully just around the corner, and with that should come a first-look trailer too.

Until then, enjoy the season one trailer above – and why not give the show a rewatch as well? It's currently available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer, which we've named one of the best streaming services.

SAS Rogue Heroes is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. The second season is coming soon.