Created by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson.
Blue Lights premiered on March 27, 2023, in the United Kingdom.
Distributed by BBC Studios handles international sales and distribution.
Blue Lights TV Series Review
Blue Lights is a gripping Belfast police drama that follows rookie officers as they face dangerous investigations, organised crime, and the personal pressures of frontline policing.
Across four seasons, the series combines realistic characters, tense storytelling, and a thoughtful look at Northern Ireland’s complex communities.
Season 1 introduces the officers and the risks of policing Belfast.
Season 2 deepens their struggles as criminal threats and personal challenges intensify.
Season 3 expands the drama with fresh cases, shifting loyalties, and growing pressure.
Season 4 explores contemporary tensions while maintaining the show’s suspenseful, character-driven approach.
CR Rating: 8.5/10.
Blue Lights Actors
Siân Brooke as Grace Ellis
DOB: 1980.
English actress born in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and graduated in 2002.
Born Siân Elizabeth Phillips, she adopted the professional surname Brooke to avoid confusion with the Welsh actress Siân Phillips.
Role: Grace Ellis is a probationary police officer who joins the Police Service of Northern Ireland after previously working as a social worker.
Her experience supporting vulnerable people gives her a distinctive perspective on policing, particularly when dealing with troubled families and communities affected by crime.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Brooke has said that her father was a police officer, giving her a personal connection to some of the experiences explored in the series.
Notable Works: Sherlock, Doctor Foster, The Crown, Good Omens, House of the Dragon, Trying.
Katherine Devlin as Annie Conlon
DOB: August 18, 1995.
Katherine Devlin is an actress from Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
She studied acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, earning a degree with honours, before completing further training at The Lir Academy in Dublin.
Role: Annie Conlon is a probationary Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer who joins the Belfast response team alongside fellow recruits Grace Ellis and Tommy Foster.
As a Catholic recruit entering a police service with a complicated history in Northern Ireland, Annie must navigate community tensions while learning the realities of frontline policing.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Devlin completed a foundation course at The Lir Academy in Dublin before graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 2021.
Notable Works: The Crime I Can’t Forget, The Day of the Jackal, Vikings, The Dig.
Nathan Braniff as Tommy Foster
DOB: 1997.
Northern Irish actor from Belfast who trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London.
Growing up, he developed an interest in acting and took part in school productions before pursuing professional training.
He also performed in theatre productions as a young actor.
Role: Tommy Foster is a probationary officer who begins his police career with a strong academic background but limited experience of the realities of street policing.
He can be anxious and overthink situations, particularly when faced with violence or unpredictable confrontations.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Braniff’s first professional television role was Tommy Foster.
To prepare, he spent time at Garnerville, the PSNI training academy, observing and training alongside real police recruits.
Notable Works: Bugsy Malone (stage production), and Tipping the Velvet (stage production).
Martin McCann as Stevie Neil
DOB: July 20, 1983.
Northern Irish actor born in Belfast, where he grew up in the Divis Flats area near the Falls Road.
His interest in performing began at a young age when he joined YouthAction Northern Ireland’s Rainbow Factory, a cross-community drama group for children.
Role: Stevie Neil is an experienced Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer who works in Belfast and mentors younger officers, including probationer Grace Ellis.
Practical and observant, Stevie understands the dangers and emotional demands of frontline policing.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: McCann grew up in Belfast and began acting through YouthAction Northern Ireland’s Rainbow Factory.
Notable Works: The Pacific, Killing Bono, ’71, The Survivalist, Calibre, The Informer, Marcella.
Andi Osho as Sandra Cliff
DOB: January 27, 1973.
Andi Osho, born Yewande Morenike Osho, is an English actress, writer, comedian, and former television presenter from East London.
She studied drama at Barking College of Technology and television production at Ravensbourne College of Design before retraining as an actor at the Academy Drama School in London.
Role: Sandra Cliff is a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) sergeant who initially works as a custody sergeant at Blackthorn Station.
She is married to experienced officer Gerry Cliff, and their relationship is an important part of her storyline.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Osho began her career in television production and broadcasting before training professionally as an actor.
Notable Works: Line of Duty, I May Destroy You, The Sandman, Good Omens, Death in Paradise, Holby City.
Joanne Crawford as Helen McNally
DOB: N/A.
Joanne Crawford is an actress from Derry, Northern Ireland, who has built a career across television, film, and theatre in the UK and Ireland.
She began her career on stage before moving into screen roles, appearing in a range of Irish and British productions.
Role: Helen McNally is a senior Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer who becomes an inspector at Blackthorn Station.
She has a broad view of the station’s operations and oversees the response team as officers face dangerous incidents, complex investigations, and pressure from senior management.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (23 eps).
Interesting facts: Crawford is from Northern Ireland and has appeared in several productions filmed or set in the region.
Notable Works: The Fall, Line of Duty, Dead and Buried, Small Things Like These, Outlander: Blood of My Blood.
Dearbháile McKinney as Aisling Byrne
DOB: N/A.
Dearbháile McKinney is a stage and screen actress from Derry, Northern Ireland.
She earned a Higher National Diploma in Performing Arts from North West Regional College in Derry in 2014 and continued her training with Belfast’s Lyric Theatre in 2015.
Role: Aisling Byrne is a probationary officer who joins the police service alongside the other recruits.
Originally from Derry, she brings her own perspective to the challenges of policing in Northern Ireland.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (16 eps).
Interesting facts: McKinney trained at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast and was a finalist for the Norman Beaton Fellowship.
Notable Works: Derry Girls, Fate: The Winx Saga, Malpractice, The Wise Guy.
Frank Blake as Shane Bradley
DOB: 1996.
Irish actor from Tuamgraney, County Clare, Ireland.
He developed an interest in acting at an early age, participating in local amateur drama festivals from the age of four.
He attended Scariff Community College and later studied drama at the University of Galway before graduating with a Bachelor in Acting from The Lir Academy in Dublin in 2016.
Role: Shane Bradley joins the response team in the second season and becomes part of the station’s wider group of officers.
His work requires him to respond to emergencies, support colleagues, and make quick judgments in difficult circumstances.
Seasons & Episodes: S2-4 (18 eps).
Interesting facts: Blake graduated from The Lir Academy in 2016 and began performing in community theatre while still young.
Notable Works: Normal People, Bridgerton, Sanditon, Vikings: Valhalla, Say Nothing, The Frankenstein Chronicles.
Hannah McClean as Jen Robinson
DOB: N/A.
Hannah McClean is a Northern Irish actress from Ballymoney, County Antrim.
She began her screen career with appearances in productions including 6Degrees, Josh, and the comedy series Sick Note.
Role: Jen Robinson is the daughter of senior police officer Nicola Robinson.
She initially joins the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), but leaves the force at the end of Season 1 following the death of Gerry Cliff.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-2, 4 (16 eps).
Interesting facts: McClean consulted a legal expert on historical cases involving the Troubles to prepare for Jen’s storyline in Blue Lights.
Notable Works: Running Man, Malpractice, Grace, Sick Note, Josh, 6Degrees.
Jonathan Harden as David “Jonty” Johnston
DOB: 1979.
Jonathan Harden is a Northern Irish actor and director born in Belfast.
He has built a varied career across television, film, theatre, and voice acting, appearing in crime dramas, historical productions, and character-driven stories.
Role: David “Jonty” Johnston is an inspector and an experienced member of the police leadership team.
He helps supervise the probationers and response officers, providing direction while dealing with the operational realities of policing Belfast.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-2, 4 (13 eps).
Interesting facts: Harden was born in Belfast to an American mother and studied French at university, later spending time living and working in Paris and Rennes.
Notable Works: Time, Peep Show, Unforgotten, Mix Tape, World on Fire, Humans.
Andrea Irvine as Nicola Robinson
DOB: 1967.
Northern Irish actress with an extensive career spanning television, film, and theatre.
She graduated from the University of St Andrews in 1988, where she studied before beginning her professional acting career.
Role: Nicola Robinson is a senior Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer and the mother of Jen Robinson.
As a senior member of the police service, Nicola carries significant professional responsibilities while trying to protect her family from the consequences of her work.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (16 eps).
Interesting facts: Irvine has worked in Irish theatre for more than three decades.
Notable Works: Red Rock, Line of Duty, The Fall, Call the Midwife, The Teacher, Five Minutes of Heaven.
Abigail McGibbon as Tina McIntyre
DOB: N/A.
Northern Irish actress from Belfast whose career spans television, film, theatre, and radio.
She trained at Dublin’s Gaiety School of Acting and is a founding member of the Belfast Ensemble, a theatre company known for producing contemporary and experimental work.
Role: Tina McIntyre is the wife of James McIntyre and a key figure in the McIntyre family’s criminal organisation.
After her husband’s position weakens, Tina becomes increasingly involved in maintaining and rebuilding the family’s influence.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-4 (18 eps).
Interesting facts: McGibbon has a strong background in theatre and is a founding member of the Belfast Ensemble.
Notable Works: The Lovers, The Power of Parker, Ballywalter, St Mungo’s, Sadie.
More Actors
• Richard Dormer as Gerry Cliff
• John Lynch as James McIntyre.
• Michael Shea as Mo McIntyre.
• Desmond Eastwood as Detective Sergeant Murray Canning.
FAQ – Blue Lights TV Series
What is Blue Lights about?
Blue Lights is a crime drama set in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It follows three probationary Police Service of Northern Ireland officers as they face criminal gangs, dangerous assignments, and the challenges of frontline policing.
Is Blue Lights based on a true story?
No. The characters and storylines are fictional, but the creators researched the work of serving and retired police officers to make the series feel authentic.
What genre is Blue Lights?
Blue Lights is a police procedural and crime drama that combines suspense, character development, and social commentary.
How many seasons of Blue Lights are there?
Blue Lights has four seasons, with the fourth season premiering on September 29, 2026.
Where can I watch Blue Lights?
In the United Kingdom, Blue Lights airs on BBC One and is available through BBC iPlayer. Availability on other streaming services depends on your country.
Conclusion
Blue Lights is a compelling police drama that blends suspense, strong performances, and realistic storytelling.
Across four seasons, it offers an engaging look at the challenges of policing Belfast, making it a great choice for fans of character-driven crime series.