Save Me series 3: Will the Lennie James drama return for another series?

Save Me is one of the most critically-acclaimed Sky Original dramas of all time.

Written by and starring Lennie James, the series features a fabulous ensemble cast, gripping scripts and a compelling central storyline revolving around the disappearance of a teenage girl and a dark criminal underworld.

Series two concluded with a final twist for Lennie James’s lead character Nelly Rowe, which could act either as closure for the charming chancer or mark the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

James has confirmed that he would like to continue telling the story of Nelly and his friends at the Palm Tree pub, but we could be in for a long wait before we see the gang together again.

Here is everything we know so far about Save Me series 3…

Will there be a Save Me series 3?

Lennie James always envisioned Save Me as a returning drama series and is confident the show can be turned into a trilogy. But the plot for series 3 is not fully formed yet.

“I'm putting it all together, or trying to in my head,” said Lennie.

"But yes, I have thoughts about carrying on the story because, as I said, this was always an idea for a returning television series and I don't feel quite that I'm finished with these character.”

The only problem that might prevent the show coming back is if the series' creator and star can’t find fresh stories for a talented ensemble cast which includes Stephen Graham, Jason Flemyng and Suranne Jones.

“It’s got to be an idea that encompasses all the characters, because it's not just about the continuing adventures of Nelly and his search for his child,” said James.

"It's also about what that search or what that journey does for the people around him. So if I can find one that brings the gang together, then absolutely [there'll be a season 3]."

What will Save Me series 3 be about?

“I’ll be absolutely honest with you, I haven’t yet got to the moment where I go, ‘OK, now I can start writing it.’ I’ve got kind of rough ideas,” admitted James.

“I just want whatever the next chapter is to live up to the previous two and I’m still in the process of working that out.”

Thomas Coombes, who plays Nelly’s mate Goz in the hit series, told BT TV that the rest of the cast would jump at the chance to work on the show again.

“It’s such beautiful work to do and make, if the story does have somewhere to go, we’d jump at the chance to get back together,” he said,

“Lennie’s already said in a couple of interviews he would continue the arc if there was a story for all of the characters. It’s such an ensemble, it’s such a community – there is clearly something for Nelly, but I think he wants something for everyone. Maybe he has something up his sleeve.”

Talking about what could be in the future for Goz, he said: “There are a few bits of back story that we set up with the characters. He’s a second-generation Pole and there are a few times in this series you hear him speaking Polish with the kids.

“It’s not a huge plot point, but it’s just dropped in there and it could be explored. His pride in his background and his history. And also the fact he still does a bit of weed. He’s packed it in a little bit for the family, but it would be interesting to explore his dealings and what he got involved in.

“I think we’d all like a wedding in a future series as well. A big knees-up with all the characters.”

Coombes also suggested that the next series could take a very different angle if Lennie James can’t take the current characters any further forward.

“Lennie might have been joking, but he said how he might want to do something totally different with the same cast, like a touring theatre group,” said Coombes.

“I think that’s a testament to all the lovely people we’ve got working on the show.”

How soon could we see Save Me season 3?

A combination of the Coronavirus pandemic and James's other filming commitments mean that it may still be another year or more before we see the third and final season of Save Me on our screens. 

As well as keeping us waiting, the delay also poses a challenge to the writer as his younger cast members grow up faster than he had anticipated. 

"With the pandemic and my commitment to Fear the Walking Dead, we’re going to be in possibly the end of 2022 before it hits the screen, and I’ve got to deal with that gap," James told Radio Times.

"And so that’s been kind of problematic, trying to find the best way to deal with that gap, not least because I have young characters in the show, who are going to grow. I can’t avoid that.

“With some of the characters, it’s going to be difficult to hide the fact that they’re two-and-a-bit years older.”

What happened at the end of Save Me Too?

Nelly ended up taking the fall for the murder of criminal boss Gideon to protect Grace – the young girl he saved at the end of series one.

He had previously hoped that he would be able to pin Gideon’s murder on one of the men who used Gideon’s services, Paul.

However, after tracking him down to a key-cutting business, Nelly went in too confident and ended up being knocked to the floor and threatened by Paul.

When he returned to the shop, Paul had closed it down and presumably gone on the run in case Nelly had tipped off the police about his actions.

Determined to protect Grace and stop the rest of her life being ruined by Gideon, Nelly handed over evidence to the police that planted him at the murder scene, including his own fingerprints on the murder weapon and Gideon’s blood on his yellow puffer jacket.

Talking about the closing scenes, Coombes, who plays Goz, told BT.com: “It did leave the show open to come back, but it could also be an ending of sorts. Nelly makes the sacrifice of himself for Grace at the end.”

Watch the Save Me Too Box Set with the NOW TV Entertainment Pack.