TWO new series of TV drama A Discovery of Witches are being created after the first bewitched nearly two million fans.
Adapted from Deborah Harkness’s bestselling Oxford-based All Souls trilogy, the Sky original production, which launched in September and was produced by Bad Wolf, was the biggest drama on Sky One this year.
The love story is set in today’s world but humans have to share the universe with witches, vampires and daemons.
Seasons two and three will be returning to Sky One and NOW TV at a date to be fixed, bringing to life the remaining stories from the trilogy.
For the first series, scenes were shot in Oxford, Venice and South Wales.
Teresa Palmer plays brilliant academic and historian Diana Bishop while Matthew Goode plays enigmatic geneticist Matthew Clairmont.
Anne Mensah, Sky’s head of drama, said: “Season one was a brilliant introduction to the All Souls world and the love story between Diana and Matthew. We can’t wait for the show’s fans to continue the journey with seasons two and three, become more enchanted by the characters and watch the magic further unfold.”
In the second season, Matthew (Matthew Goode, Downton Abbey) and Diana (Teresa Palmer, Hacksaw Ridge) are hiding in the fascinating and treacherous world of Elizabethan London – here they must find a powerful witch teacher to help Diana control her magic and search for the elusive Book of Life.
Back in the present day, Diana’s beloved aunts, Sarah and Em, must take shelter with notorious witchhunter Ysabeau de Clermont at her ancestral home, Sept-Tours.
Meanwhile, in Oxford, Marcus and Miriam take on Matthew’s mantle to protect daemons Nathaniel and Sophie, whose pregnancy is advancing. And Gerbert, Knox, Satu and Domenico are determined to hunt down every clue they can to Diana’s and Matthew’s disappearance, and the secrets their allies are keeping from them.
Jane Tranter, executive producer at Bad Wolf, added: “We were absolutely thrilled that A Discovery of Witches was such a hit with viewers. There was a real sense of community throughout the run as fans old and new joined together to watch each week. We cannot wait to continue the journey with them and, as the show continues to sell around the world, expanding the global fan base for these engaging and fascinating characters.”
Deborah Harkness, author and executive producer, said: “I’m thrilled that we will continue with the story of the All Souls trilogy for two more seasons. There is so much to look forward to as we travel into Matthew’s past and delve further into the mysteries surrounding Diana’s power and Ashmole 782.”
A Discovery of Witches was commissioned by Anne Mensah.
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