According to Daily Mail - Home, TV insider described that the drama launched on New Year’s Day and went up against BBC's The Night Manager, one of the most hyped shows of 2026 so far, but it met that challenge with strong performance. Red Eye's viewing figures were significantly boosted by viewers watching it on streaming service ITVX, reaching 29 million streams on ITVX after eight million fans tuned in for its debut, and it was one of ITV's top dramas of 2024. The series first aired last year, starring Richard Armitage as a doctor accused of a crime overseas and Jing Lusi as a police officer tasked with returning him to the UK.
Martin Compston joined the cast for the second series, playing Head of Embassy Security Clay Brody, and the plot involved a threat to blow up a British plane, an embassy lockdown, murders inside the embassy, with Hana Li (Jing Lusi) teaming up with Clay Brody (Martin Compston) to investigate. It remains unknown whether ITV has officially recommissioned Red Eye for a third series, which cast members besides Martin Compston will return, and what the specific plot details or release date will be.
The drama launched on New Year’s Day and went up against one of the most hyped shows of 2026 so far, so it always faced a challenge. But it met that challenge and also had the figures hugely boosted by viewers watching it on streaming service ITVX, which is one of the most important measures of a programme’s success these days. So from fearing it might not return, it now looks like bringing Red Eye back is a bit of a no brainer for ITV. Though they’ve yet to officially recommission the third outing or confirm castings.