Gwyneth Keyworth and Timothy Spall are back with six brand-new episodes of their murder-mystery series, Death Valley.
The unlikely pairing sees police detective Janie Mallowan team up with television entertainer John Chapel, who once played her hero, TV detective Caesar.
Blending comedy with compelling ‘whodunnits’, the show was a runaway hit on BBC One and iPlayer last year, becoming the broadcaster’s most triumphant comedy launch in half a decade.
Picking up where series one left off, Janie has now risen to the rank of detective sergeant, while John is romantically involved with her mother, putting a considerable strain on their professional partnership.
View 4 ImagesDCI Janie Mallowan and John Chapel are back solving mystery murder cases in Wales(Image: BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway)
Personal matters must be pushed aside when the pair are called upon to investigate a suspicious death within a community service group, after one member plummets fatally from the heights of a crumbling castle, reports Wales Online.
The episode was shot at Raglan Castle, renowned as the most magnificent castle ever constructed by Welshmen, nestled amongst the stunning countryside of Usk.
The new series also sees John reluctantly revisiting his acting background on the set of a lavish Welsh fantasy television production, though yet another murder soon commands his attention.
Further killings emerge in a coastal fishing village, an eco-conscious commune, and a rugby club, as John and Janie continue to pursue justice across the mid-Wales region.
View 4 ImagesEpisode one of Death Valley sees a murder take place in a Welsh castle(Image: BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway)
Speaking exclusively to Reach PLC, actress Gwyneth Keyworth, who portrays Janie, has revealed the authentic Welsh locations that provide the backdrop for each murder storyline.
When questioned about particularly stunning settings, Gwyneth remarked: “Yes, the castle. The geek in me was absolutely… I fall asleep listening to history podcasts, so I was like, Raglan Castle? Yes please! It was absolutely. I love that.”
Gwyneth continued, explaining how Death Valley has highlighted Welsh culture through the series’ chosen locations. One episode sees a Bridgend rugby club transformed into the scene of a chilling murder.
View 4 ImagesPort Talbot is used as the location in Death Valley(Image: BBC Studios)
She explained: “What is great is there’s an episode set in a rugby club, which, like for Welsh culture, is a big thing. You know, rugby in England is a posh-boy thing; in Wales, it’s a working-class thing.
“My parents met in a rugby club. I used to go there every Christmas to see Santa Claus. Having things like that really felt authentic to the Welsh experience and to the Welsh culture. It is really, really magic, actually.”
Gwyneth continued: “It’s not just about the breathtaking, like landscapes, because, and you know, it’s evident that it’s beautiful, but it’s also about the little things like that, like a rugby club.”
Port Talbot will also appear in one Death Valley episode, alongside a fishing village in Milford Haven.
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Death Valley season two starts on Sunday, 17 May at 8:15pm on BBC One