One of ITV’s most quietly devastating crime dramas is officially returning, and fans are bracing themselves for what promises to be its most emotionally charged chapter yet. Unforgotten, the acclaimed series renowned for its haunting cold cases, buried secrets, and profound emotional gut punches, has begun production on Season 7 following the massive success of Season 6. With Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan reprising their roles as DI Sunny Khan and DCI Jess James, the new season introduces a fresh investigation that digs deep into forgotten crimes—and the lives they continue to destroy.
The announcement came on January 26, 2026, when ITV, Mainstreet Pictures, and PBS Masterpiece confirmed that filming had started on Season 7. This renewal arrived hot on the heels of Season 6, which concluded in the UK in February 2025 and aired in the US on PBS Masterpiece starting August 24, 2025. Season 6 was hailed as the UK’s most-watched returning drama of 2025 and the second most-watched drama overall, solidifying Unforgotten‘s status as a critical and commercial powerhouse with a near-perfect 91-100% Rotten Tomatoes rating across seasons.
Created and written by Chris Lang, Unforgotten follows a dedicated team of Metropolitan Police detectives who specialize in reopening long-dormant cases. Each season centers on a single cold case triggered by the discovery of human remains or new evidence, forcing suspects from decades past to confront their actions while the detectives unravel the human cost on all sides. The series stands out for its refusal to offer easy resolutions: victims’ families grapple with reopened wounds, suspects face shattered lives, and the investigators themselves bear the emotional toll of their work.
Season 7 continues this tradition with a new, emotionally charged cold case. While specific plot details remain closely guarded, the announcement emphasizes that Sunny and Jess will investigate a mystery that tests their partnership and personal lives. The show’s signature dual focus—on the crime and the people affected—promises another layer of psychological depth. Lang has described previous seasons as stories that “gestate” over years, drawing from real-world fractures in society, and Season 7 appears poised to explore similarly resonant themes.
The cast shake-up for Season 7 has generated significant excitement, blending returning favorites with high-profile newcomers. Sanjeev Bhaskar returns as the thoughtful, empathetic DI Sunny Khan, whose quiet compassion often contrasts with the brutality of the cases. Sinéad Keenan reprises DCI Jess James, the tough, no-nonsense lead who joined in Season 5 after Nicola Walker’s departure as DCI Cassie Stuart. The core team includes Jordan Long as DS Murray Boulting, Carolina Main as DC Fran Lingley, and Hiten Patel as DC Patel.
What has fans particularly buzzing is the arrival of stars familiar from other beloved British crime dramas. The guest cast for Season 7 is described as a “who’s who of British acting royalty,” with major names joining to portray suspects and those connected to the case. While exact roles are under wraps, reports highlight actors with ties to Happy Valley and Vera, creating a thrilling crossover of talent from ITV’s crime stable. These inclusions add layers of intensity and familiarity—viewers who loved Sarah Lancashire’s raw portrayal in Happy Valley or Brenda Blethyn’s dogged determination in Vera will recognize the caliber of performance expected here.
The series’ strength lies in its refusal to glorify violence or offer simplistic justice. Instead, it examines the ripple effects of crime across decades: how a long-ago murder fractures families, how guilt erodes lives, and how reopening cases can bring both catharsis and fresh pain. The detectives are not infallible heroes; they struggle with personal demons—Jess’s strained family ties, Sunny’s quiet introspection—making their pursuit feel deeply human.
Season 6, which focused on a dismembered body found in Whitney Marsh, exemplified this approach. It introduced suspects including a right-wing reporter (MyAnna Buring), her fiancé (Emmett Scanlan), and others whose connections to the victim unraveled over time. The season earned praise for its tense pacing, strong performances, and unflinching look at societal divisions. Critics called it “dark drama at its best,” while viewers lauded the emotional depth and shocking revelations.
With Season 7 now in production, expectations are sky-high. The show’s format—six episodes per season, all available as a boxset on ITVX in the UK—encourages binge-watching, and fans often describe the experience as “devastating” yet compelling. The emotional impact hits harder each time, as the narrative refuses to let anyone escape unscathed.
Unforgotten has quietly become one of ITV’s most powerful series, blending procedural elements with profound character study. Its return with Season 7 reaffirms why it endures: in a genre crowded with flashy procedurals, it dares to slow down, to listen to the victims’ silent stories, and to show that some crimes are never truly buried.
As filming continues and a premiere date (likely late 2026 or early 2027) draws nearer, fans are already bracing for another cold-case nightmare that will haunt long after the credits roll. The winds of the past are stirring once more—and this time, they promise to hit harder than ever.
