According to the website RadioTimes, The BBC is preparing the ground for a second series of its hit espionage drama The Night Manager based on the John Le Carre novel and starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie, and the work could begin as early as April. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!

The BBC is preparing the ground for a second series of its hit espionage drama The Night Manager based on the John Le Carre novel and starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie.

The Corporation is understood to be in advanced talks with The Ink Factory, the production company run by two of Le Carré’s sons, for another series based on some of the characters featured in The Night Manager.

According to sources, work on the new series could begin as early as April.

The first series was adapted by theatre director David Farr however it is not yet clear who will pen the new series or what it will be based on. Le Carre (pictured below filming a cameo in the series) did not write a sequel to the 1994 source book and his next published work is a memoir due to be published in the autumn.

The first episode of The Night Manager was watched by 8.3 million viewers and garnered critical acclaim for its excellent cast, thrilling plotting and stunning locations.

It cost around £3m an hour – around half of that sum provided by the BBC with the rest of the bill footed by co-production partners.

Speaking before the release of the first series, Simon Cornwell, the son of the author and executive producer of the programme, said he “would love to do more with the BBC but I don’t want to tempt fate with telling you what we have in the works”.

A senior BBC source said that “nothing was confirmed”, but another source added that the Corporation was “hopeful” about bringing the show back.