Doctor Foster season 3 confirmed
The BBC has confirmed long-term speculation that a third season of hit drama Doctor Foster is coming...
Doctor Foster is set to return, as the BBC confirms the acclaimed drama will come back for a third and concluding series. Penned and created by Mike Bartlett, the upcoming five-part instalment reunites Suranne Jones with her celebrated portrayal of Gemma Foster, alongside Bertie Carvel as Simon and Tom Taylor as Tom. Produced by Drama Republic for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, filming is scheduled to commence later this spring.
A decade has passed since Gemma uncovered Simon’s infidelity and orchestrated her calculated revenge. The consequences proved severe when her 15-year-old son, Tom, vanished. In series three, Gemma remains a GP and continues to live in the same home, yet she stands at the threshold of a new beginning: she has found a new partner and is preparing to marry. However, as the wedding nears and loved ones assemble, unresolved elements of her past resurface, placing both her joy and her standing at risk. As Gemma struggles to safeguard those closest to her and unmask whoever seeks to harm her, the question looms — can she finally lay old ghosts to rest, deliver justice, and secure the future she believes she has earned before time runs out?
Watch Doctor Foster on BBC iPlayer
Reflecting on her return, Suranne Jones says: “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?’ Gemma and Simon have so much to unpick! It’s been an exciting time working with the brilliant Mike Bartlett again, and the team at Drama Republic, on the scripts and now I can’t wait to start filming.”
Mike Bartlett adds: “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. That feels as relevant now as when Gemma first found a blonde hair on the scarf. It’s been a joy to team up once again with the hugely talented Drama Republic, the now very grown-up and brilliant Tom Taylor, the inimitable Bertie Carvel and of course, the incomparable Suranne Jones, to tell the final chapter of this story and revisit Parminster - where it turns out there’s still secrets, betrayals, vengeance and perhaps one last dinner party…”
Executive producers Roanna Benn and Jude Liknaitzky say: “We are so excited to be bringing the finale of Doctor Foster to the screen. Mike Bartlett has written thrilling, gripping, audacious scripts that see Gemma and Simon re-encounter one another ten years on and it is electrifying!!! We cannot wait to watch the phenomenal Suranne and Bertie together on screen once again. And to meet the grown-up Tom. It is honestly going to be an amazing ride!”
Lindsay Salt comments: “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. Bring it on!”
First broadcast in 2015 and 2017, Doctor Foster became a major UK hit, with close to 10 million viewers tuning in for the second series finale. The drama also garnered widespread critical praise and National Television Awards across both runs, while Suranne Jones earned a BAFTA for her performance as Gemma Foster.
