Production on the seventh season of ITV's Unforgotten has begun, as announced by ITV and PBS on January 26, 2026. Returning leads Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan will investigate a new cold case involving child remains found in London. The season features a notable ensemble of new actors from shows like Peaky Blinders and Game of Thrones.
Filming for Unforgotten season 7 commenced on January 26, 2026, following the renewal announced after the season 6 finale in September of the previous year. ITV and PBS revealed the production start with a photo from the readthrough featuring leads Sanjeev Bhaskar as DCI Sunny Khan and Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jess James. The duo reprises their roles investigating complex cold cases, with their relationship described as stabilized after season 6 events. The loyal police team returns, including Jordan Long as DS Murray Boulting, Carolina Main as DS Fran Lingley, Pippa Nixon as DC Kaz Willets, and Georgia Mackenzie as pathologist Dr Leanne Balcombe. Additional recurring characters include Andrew Lancel as Jess's ex-husband Steve and Kate Robbins as her mother Kate. Directed by Andy Wilson, who helmed all prior seasons, and produced by Deborah Morgan, the story opens with the discovery of human remains in a Ladbroke Grove, London house crawl space. Forensic analysis indicates the body is a child's, concealed for years, with a DNA match linking it to a previously closed historic case, prompting a revisit to uncover a decades-old crime. New characters include Sophie Rundle as troubled social worker Mary Brock, Kirsty J Curtis as respected inmate Lacee Cook, Julian Rhind-Tutt as struggling addict Hugh Swafham, and Natalie Simpson as tenacious journalist Ruby Allenford, whose lives hide dark secrets. The ensemble also features Jo Hartley, Paul Kaye, Nicholas Burns, Andrew Tiernan, Ben Bailey Smith, Dominic Coleman, David Fynn, India Brown, Sonya Nisa, Joshua Sher, Rachel Atkins, Roger Dipper, Cameron Jack, Mark Jax, Joe McNamara, Yazdan Qafouri, Paula Wilcox, and Philip Martin Brown. Filming spans UK locations like Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, Coventry, Halifax, and Reading Prison. A premiere date remains TBA, potentially late summer or early fall 2026. ITV Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair Jones stated: 'It’s always beyond exciting to return to the brilliant world of Unforgotten and this series promises to be no different. Once again Chris Lang has created a compelling set of characters interwoven in an intriguing and enticing story, one that will keep Jess and Sunny and the audience guessing until the very end.'