After nearly a decade of anticipation, the BBC’s acclaimed spy thriller The Night Manager has returned to screens with a second season, reigniting the intrigue and suspense that made its first run a sensation. Fans who watched Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) navigate the treacherous world of espionage in 2016 have been rewarded for their patience, as the new season premiered on January 1, 2026, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with episodes airing weekly and available to stream the same day.
Season two wastes no time plunging viewers back into the shadowy universe of international arms dealing and double-crosses. The story picks up about ten years after the explosive events of the first season, with Pine now living under the alias Alex Goodwin. He’s working in London as a low-profile MI6 operative, heading a surveillance division called The Night Owls. It’s a quiet, almost monastic existence—one that keeps him away from the limelight and, at least on the surface, insulated from the dangerous world he once inhabited. But as any fan of John le Carré’s work might expect, trouble is never far away.
According to Metro, the creative team behind the series, led by writer David Farr, spent years deliberating the show’s return, wanting to ensure that the sequel would live up to its predecessor. Farr explained that the project only moved forward once a compelling story was in place and with the blessing of le Carré himself. While the first season was a faithful adaptation of le Carré’s 1993 novel, this new chapter ventures beyond the original source material. Yet, it remains rooted in the author’s vision, drawing inspiration from the novel’s Colombian setting and the enduring specter of its characters.
Richard Roper, the charismatic yet chilling arms dealer played by Hugh Laurie in the first season, is gone—his death confirmed in the new episodes. But his legacy looms large. The arms industry is once again at the center of the plot, with a new antagonist, Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva), stepping into the void. Dos Santos is a Colombian businessman with a dangerous allure, described as having a “swagger and a charm that draws people to him like a moth to a flame.” Pine’s mission soon takes him deep into Colombia, where he must infiltrate Dos Santos’s operation and unravel a conspiracy that threatens to destabilize an entire nation.
One of the most significant additions to the cast is Camila Morrone, who plays Roxana Bolaños—a sharp, resourceful businesswoman Pine first encounters in London and then again in Colombia. The chemistry between Pine and Bolaños is palpable, marked by mutual suspicion and undeniable attraction. Their reluctant partnership forms a core part of the season’s tension, as Pine must decide whether he can trust her while navigating a web of shifting allegiances and hidden motives.
Morrone’s casting has drawn considerable attention, not only for her performance but for her high-profile personal life. As reported by Hello! and El Balad, Morrone is best known for her roles in Death Wish, Valley Girl, and the Emmy-nominated Daisy Jones & the Six. Yet, for years she was also in the headlines for her relationship with Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio, who is 23 years her senior. The two began dating in 2017, when Morrone was 20, and their romance lasted until 2022. The age difference sparked extensive public debate, which Morrone addressed in interviews, telling The Los Angeles Times, “There’s so many relationships in Hollywood—and in the history of the world—where people have large age gaps. I just think anyone should be able to date who they want to date.”
Despite the scrutiny, Morrone consistently emphasized her desire to be recognized for her own work rather than her associations. “I believe anyone should date who they wish,” she stated in a recent interview, according to El Balad. The actress has since moved on and is currently dating Cole Bennett, an American music video director known for collaborations with artists like Eminem and Justin Bieber. The couple was spotted together in New York City in 2024, and Morrone publicly confirmed the relationship in May 2025, playfully celebrating Bennett’s birthday on social media.
Back in the world of The Night Manager, Pine’s journey is far from straightforward. Haunted by the ghost of Roper and plagued by insomnia, he’s a man on edge—one who can’t resist the pull back into danger when the arms trade heats up once more. The show’s return to Colombia is more than a change of scenery; it’s a nod to le Carré’s original vision and a chance to explore new geopolitical dimensions. The stakes are as high as ever, with Pine racing against time to expose a dangerous conspiracy, all while grappling with his own demons and the ever-present question of whom he can truly trust.
Tom Hiddleston’s performance has been widely praised for its depth and nuance. At the London premiere, he shared a poignant anecdote about his connection to the character and the late author. “He said a very generous thing early on,” Hiddleston recalled. “I asked him if there was anything I needed to know about playing Pine. He said, ‘Tom, you’ll have guessed by now, Jonathan Pine is me, and now he must be you.’” It’s a sentiment that resonates throughout the new season, as Pine’s journey becomes both a tribute to le Carré and a meditation on the burdens of secrecy and loyalty.
Season two of The Night Manager consists of six episodes, with the first three airing in January and subsequent episodes following weekly. The show’s return has been met with enthusiasm from longtime fans and newcomers alike, many of whom are eager to see how the story unfolds with new faces and fresh twists. As Metro notes, the series feels “real and tangible, unlike many other action dramas on streamers today.”
For Morrone, the role of Roxana Bolaños represents both a professional milestone and a new beginning. Having navigated the glare of celebrity relationships and the pressures of public scrutiny, she’s determined to carve out her own path in the entertainment industry. With her character’s fate intertwined with Pine’s in a world where trust is a rare commodity, Morrone’s performance promises to be one of the season’s highlights.
As the action unfolds in Colombia and Pine confronts new and old adversaries, The Night Manager season two stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of le Carré’s world—a place where secrets, danger, and human frailty are always in play. For viewers, it’s a thrilling way to kick off 2026, and for the cast, a chance to explore new depths in a story that refuses to let its heroes—or its audience—rest easy.
