Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore reveal how The Assassin season 2 explores Julie’s love life and contains very "bold" episode

The second season of The Assassin might see Julie and Edward's dynamic back at square one, but that doesn't mean there aren't changes afoot, largely in the form of some major new characters played by Natalia Tena and Arnaud Binard.

Tena plays an ambitious detective in Spain who comes into contact with the duo when Edward's wife Kayla is kidnapped. Meanwhile, Binard plays a mysterious character searching for Julie - and who could have a romantic connection with her.

Speaking exclusively with Radio Times, Edward star Freddie Highmore said that it's "fun to see" the show "exploring Julie's love life" for the first time, while Julie star Keeley Hawes said it's "nice to see the kind of softer side, almost".

Hawes continued: "Well, hinting at the softer side. But even that is undercut with humour. It never becomes any sort of love story because that's not who she is."

Meanwhile, Highmore teased that this new season also features "a very different episode" in comparison to what's come before, with the fifth instalment of the new run speaking "a lot to their history and to this mystery of what happened in the period between seasons 1 and 2".

"That one felt like a sort of bold swing of an episode because it is a little bit different, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out," he said.

The synopsis for season 2 says: "After a disastrous search for Edward's birth mother tore them apart, Edward is forced to reunite with Julie when his wife, Kayla, is kidnapped.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

"Set against sun-soaked Spain, this action thriller blends humour, and high-stakes chaos as the duo take on the country’s corrupt underworld while facing the past that broke them to save the future that still matters."

The Assassin season 2 will release on 6 November on Prime Video. You can sign up to Amazon Prime Video for a 30-day free trial.

Add The Assassin to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.