Meet the World on Fire cast: Will there be a third season of the BBC war drama and which stars will return?
The final episode of the second series of World on Fire is set to air tonight, and fans are already clamouring for a third season.
The BBC show tells the story of several lives of ordinary civilians across Europe during the outbreak of the Second World War.
The first series covered March 1939 to July 1940, while the second season followed the events from October 1940 to May 1941.
Speaking about the drama, creator Peter Bowker said: ‘As always, we tell stories which have an unforced and not always comfortable contemporary resonance, stories that demonstrate both human resilience and human folly and stories of ordinary lives in extraordinary times.
‘Historical drama should not be about nostalgia and I hope this isn’t how this series is regarded. It is about asking questions of the present by interrogating stories from our past.
Exciting: The final episode of the second series of World on Fire is set to air tonight, and fans are already clamouring for a third season
Plot: The BBC show tells the story of several lives of ordinary civilians across Europe during the outbreak of the Second World War
‘And at the heart of these stories, amongst multiple perspectives, the single question remains – “If you had been there, what would you have done?”‘
The latest season saw some changes in the cast, with Helen Hunt, Sean Bean and Arthur Darvill leaving the series.
New characters were then introduced, with stars including Mark Bonnar and Gregg Sulkin joining the cast.
Read on to meet the current cast and find out everything to know about World on Fire season three.
Will there be a third season?
Unconfirmed: World on Fire series three has not yet been confirmed, but the second series is still yet to be concluded
World on Fire series three has not yet been confirmed, but the second series is still yet to be concluded.
Despite no word from the BBC, the show’s creator Peter Bowker has already confirmed his desire to keep making the series.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com when the first season was airing, Peter revealed he had already outlined plans for more seasons covering further years of the war.
He said: ‘I know what happens over six series for the main characters. If you pitch a show, people will often ask, “What happens in series 4, episode 3? What happens to this character?” You’ve got to know and not be English about it.’
When would the next series air?
Delayed: If a third season is given the greenlight, it is hoped fans won’t have to wait for it as long as they did for series two
If a third season is given the greenlight, it is hoped fans won’t have to wait for it as long as they did for series two.
The first series of the drama was a huge hit when it aired in 2019, and it wasn’t long before a second series was announced.
However, the planned 2020 shoot was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading fans to have to wait four years for the second season.
Presuming production will be able to go ahead much more smoothly this time round, hopefully a third season could air late next year or in 2025.
What stars could return?
Jonah Hauer-King as Harry Chase
Lead: Jonah Hauer-King plays Harry Chase, a talented translator who becomes caught up in a love triangle between his English girlfriend Lois, and new Polish love Kasia, before joining the war effort
Jonah Hauer-King plays Harry Chase, a talented translator who becomes caught up in a love triangle between his English girlfriend Lois, and new Polish love Kasia, before joining the war effort.
He soon joins the war effort after WW2 breaks out spends much of the second series fighting in North Africa.
Lesley Manville as Robina Chase
Big name: Lesley Manville plays Harry’s wealthy and emotionally repressed mother Robina, who disapproves of both of his love interests
Lesley Manville plays Harry’s wealthy and emotionally repressed mother Robina, who disapproves of both of his love interests.
Julia Brown as Lois Bennett
Character: Julia Brown’s Lois begins as a factory worker and singer who goes to perform for the troops with ENSA before later becoming an ambulance driver
Julia Brown’s Lois begins as a factory worker and singer who goes to perform for the troops with ENSA before later becoming an ambulance driver.
She has a baby daughter named Vera with Harry and was engaged to Vernon Hunter before his death in the season two premiere.
Zofia Wichłacz as Kasia Tomaszeski
Resistance fighter: Zofia Wichłacz plays Kasia Tomaszeski, Harry’s wife, who begins fighting for the resistance in Poland
Zofia Wichłacz plays Kasia Tomaszeski, Harry’s wife, who begins fighting for the resistance in Poland.
During the second season, having escaped to Britain, she is recruited to work for MI5 to root out enemy agents in order to get back to her homeland.
Parker Sawyers as Albert Fallou
Parker Sawyers’ Albert Fallou is a French gay jazz musician who is arrested and sent to a forced labour camp.
Eugenie Derouand as Henriette Guilbert
Secrets: Henriette Guilbert, played by Eugenie Derouand, is a nurse in Paris who is hiding her Jewish heritage, while trying to help smuggle French prisoners of war out of hospital
Henriette Guilbert, played by Eugenie Derouand, is a nurse in Paris who is hiding her Jewish heritage, while trying to help smuggle French prisoners of war out of hospital.
Mark Bonnar as Sir James Danemere
Mark Bonnar joined the cast as Sir James Danemere in series two, who begins a flirtatious relationship with Robina while staying at her home.
He is introduced as a civil servant before it is discovered that he is a member of military intelligence.
Gregg Sulkin as David
New character: Gregg Sulkin also joined the cast in series two, playing David – a Jewish RAF fighter pilot stationed in Manchester
Gregg Sulkin also joined the cast in series two, playing David – a Jewish RAF fighter pilot stationed in Manchester.
He is shot down while on dangerous mission in Northern France and forced to run and hide.
Ahad Raza Mir as Rajib Pal
Important: Ahad Raza Mir plays new character Rajib Pal, the captain of a sapper unit in the British Indian Army that is stationed in North Africa
Ahad Raza Mir plays new character Rajib Pal, the captain of a sapper unit in the British Indian Army that is stationed in North Africa.
Miriam Schiweck as Marga
New perspective: Miriam Schiweck joined the second series’ cast as Marga Kühne, a 16 year-old German schoolgirl and member of the League of German Girls
Miriam Schiweck joined the second series’ cast as Marga Kühne, a 16 year-old German schoolgirl and member of the League of German Girls.
She is selected to participate in the Lebensborn program, where she falls pregnant by Sturmbannfuhrer Greiser.
Helen Hunt as Nancy Campbell
Starring role: Helen Hunt played Nancy Campbell in series one, an American journalist struggling to broadcast the truth from Berlin
Helen Hunt played Nancy Campbell in series one, an American journalist struggling to broadcast the truth from Berlin.
She did not appear in the second series, as she no longer fit with the story, but creater Peter has said he wants her to return alongside Brian J. Smith’s Webster.
Speaking to Variety, he said: ‘For both [Helen Hunt] and [Brian J. Smith], who plays Webster, I would hope there’s room for them to return in Season 3 because of the American involvement.
Potential return? She did not appear in the second series, as she no longer fit with the story, but creater Peter has said he wants her to return alongside Brian J. Smith’s Webster
‘I think sometimes it comes to a point where obviously with someone as good as Helen, you’re looking at stories. And you’re looking so hard.
‘You’re thinking, “Is this growing the story or growing because I would really, really love Helen to be in it?”
‘There’s a gap between the American journalists being expelled from Berlin and before the Americans joined the war, so [including her] doesn’t really fit with the story. But I would love both of those characters to come back if at all possible.’
Which stars will not return?
Blake Harrison as Stan Raddings
RIP: One beloved character than is almost certainly not returning is Blake Harrison’s Stan Raddings
One beloved character than is almost certainly not returning is Blake Harrison’s Stan Raddings.
Stan is Harry’s platoon sergeant and fights alongside him in Africa in series two, but was tragically killed in last week’s episode.
Harry is left dehydrated and listless – and, against the advice of his fellow leaders, decides to take the men on a mission through the desert to find water.
However they are left stunned when the group are attacked by enemy soldiers in the dead of night.
Devastating: Stan is Harry’s platoon sergeant and fights alongside him in Africa in series two, but was tragically killed in last week’s episode
A number of the soldiers flee in horror, but Harry and Stan remain to fight the enemy.
When they are set upon by a soldier at close range, Stan steps out of the barricade in order to punch him – but is shot and killed in the process.
Harry desperately tries to perform CPR, but is unsuccessful in saving his friend – and the platoon are left devastated.
Cel Spellman as Joe Broughton
Another character that is sure not to return is Cel Spellman’s Joe Broughton, who is also killed in series two.
Joe is a private from Leeds and another member of Harry’s platoon who is killed during Operation Compass in a sandstorm.
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