Hollywood star Tom Hiddleston has officially confirmed the future of the acclaimed BBC series The Night Manager, while addressing the real reasons behind the drama's decade-long hiatus from television screens. The actor appeared on ITV's This Morning to discuss the finale of the second series, which premiered earlier this month after a ten-year absence.
Season Three Confirmed and Coming Sooner
During his interview with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, Hiddleston, 44, teased what fans can expect from the final instalment airing on BBC One this Sunday at 9pm. More importantly, he confirmed that another season is actively in development, promising it will arrive much sooner than the previous ten-year wait.
'I can reveal that there will be, there's going to be more,' Hiddleston stated. 'We always constructed this one as a beginning of a 12-episode story. It gave us greater scope in terms of imagining where this story might go knowing that we had another season to come - and we like trilogies, there's something satisfying about it.'
He added with humour: 'It will be sooner [than ten years]. It's booked in, and if we had to wait another ten years I'd be 55, and I don't know how much running I will be doing [then].' While an exact launch date for the third series remains unconfirmed, this announcement follows earlier teases about its development.
Why The Night Manager Took a Decade to Return
Hiddleston also provided a detailed explanation for the lengthy gap between the first and second series. The actor, known for his role as Loki in the Marvel universe, admitted that while hopes for a follow-up were always high, the creative team needed substantial time to develop a compelling story.
The initial series was adapted from John Le Carré's popular novel of the same name, but there was no second book to serve as source material for further plotlines. 'We had to just come up with the right story,' Hiddleston explained. 'The first idea came from [Le Carré], he said to us when we first screened it that maybe we should make some more so, there were lots of conversations with him and with his sons who produced The Night Manager.'
He emphasised the team's commitment to quality: 'We wanted it to feel earned, and as resonant and contemporary as the first one did, and I hope that we've done that.'
Behind-the-Scenes Stunt Mishap
Despite a significant on-set accident, Hiddleston remains enthusiastic about future action sequences. He recounted a mishap during filming in Colombia where he fell 'on his bottom' while attempting a motorbike stunt.
'In episode four there's quite a complicated bit where I have to jump on a bike and give chase,' he described. 'We did it after a thunderstorm in Colombia, and because of all that ground was completely slick from the rain - I had to sprint to the stationary bike and then jump on it and ride quite close to our camera operator and make sure I didn't hit him.'
'But before I even got on the bike, I sprinted at full tilt and tried to stop with my dress shoes on, and just slid right past, past the bike and past the camera and onto my bottom!' he laughed, showing his good humour about the incident.
Fan Reaction to Saucy Scenes
The conversation also touched upon the enthusiastic fan response to recent episodes, particularly a scene that viewers have dubbed the 'sexiest scene of the decade.' In the spy thriller, Hiddleston plays former British soldier Jonathan Pine, now an intelligence officer tasked with exposing a conspiracy led by Colombian businessman Teddy Dos Santos, portrayed by Diego Calva.
Pine's mission involves infiltrating Teddy's arms operation with the help of businesswoman Roxana Bolaños, played by Camila Morrone. The plot thickens as Pine becomes entangled in a love triangle between Roxana and Teddy, culminating in a passionate dance scene in the third episode that left fans buzzing on social media.
One viewer declared on X: 'The sexiest scene of the decade possibly the century,' while another noted: 'The sexual tension between Pine & Teddy is maaadddd! One kiss, just give us one passionate kiss!' Additional comments praised the 'amazing chemistry' and 'incredible cinematography,' with one fan joking they had become a 'huge fan of spy shows suddenly.'
As The Night Manager prepares for its season two finale this Sunday on BBC One and iPlayer, Hiddleston's confirmation of a third series ensures that the espionage drama will continue to captivate audiences with its intricate plots and compelling characters.
