‘Doctor Foster’ Returning To BBC For Third & Final Season After Nearly 10 Years; Suranne Jones & Bertie Carvel Reprise Roles

Doctor Foster is returning for a third and final season, nearly a decade after Season 2 debuted.

Suranne Jones, Bertie Carvel and Tom Taylor are returning to reprise their roles as Gemma Foster, Simon and Tom, respectively, in the BBC psychological drama. Series creator Mike Bartlett is writing, with Riot Women producer Drama Republic making the show for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Filming is set to begin this spring in the UK.

Here’s the synopsis: “Ten years ago, on discovering her husband Simon was having an affair, Gemma Foster enacted a masterful revenge. But the fallout was devastating when her 15-year-old son Tom disappeared. Now, in series three, Gemma is still a GP, still in the same house, but on the brink of a fresh start: She has met someone new and is getting married. But as the wedding day draws closer, and friends and family gather, shadows from the past begin to re-emerge threatening both her happiness and her reputation. As Gemma fights to protect those she loves and expose whoever’s intent on hurting her, will she be able to put the past to bed, dispense justice, and claim the future she deserves, before it is too late?”

Lead actress Jones said of the script: “When I got the call to ask if I wanted to return as Gemma Foster, I knew the time was right. We needed space from the first two series, and we needed Tom – Gemma and Simon’s runaway son – to return as an adult with questions. For me, this time around it’s about accountability and questioning, ‘Can we ever truly sever ties with our past and the damage or traumas that haunt us, so we can fully move forward?’”

Doctor Foster was a breakout hit for the BBC in the UK, with Season 2’s finale wrapping with nearly 10 million viewers and Jones winning a BAFTA for her role. The psychological drama has become one of BBC Studios’ best-selling scripted formats internationally, having been adapted 15 times.

Season 3 comes from Mediawan-owned Drama Republic. Bartlett is exec producing alongside Jones, Roanna Benn and Jude Liknaitzky. John Hardwick is directing and Nige Watson is the producer. Lindsay Salt, BBC Director of Drama, ordered the show and BBC Studios will handle international distribution.

“I always hoped that we’d get to tell the final part of Gemma’s story, which is about a woman seeking justice in an unfair world,” said Bartlett. “That feels as relevant now as when Gemma first found a blonde hair on the scarf.”

BBC drama chief Salt added: “It’s a privilege to welcome Doctor Foster back to the BBC after almost a decade away. The extent to which the first two series gripped the nation is a credit to Mike’s writing, the talented team at Drama Republic and our magnificent cast – and now we’re ready do it one more time in this epic final chapter.”