'Bodyguard' creator Jed Mercurio has teased plans for another three series of the show.
David Budd and Julia Montague
The thrilling BBC One drama came to a nail-biting conclusion on Sunday night's (23.09.18) finale when personal protection officer David Budd - played by Richard Madden - discovered who killed home secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), and the 52-year-old screenwriter hinted there could be three or four seasons if a second is commissioned.
He said: "We have been very fortunate with the success of series one.
"It's probably fair to say we would probably approach any thoughts of a second series with the idea that it would create an opportunity for a third or fourth.
"We do feel very privileged and fortunate that there's been such a response that it gives us that opportunity to at least think about doing more."
Should 'Bodyguard' be confirmed for a second series, Jed admitted he will not be able to start work on a follow up until mid-2019 at the earliest, because he is busy filming the next series of 'Line of Duty'.
He added: "We're going to be shooting right up until a few days before Christmas and doing all our editing early in the New Year so I'm full-time on 'Line of Duty'."
'Bodyguard' came in for early criticism during the first few episodes of the series after protection officer David slept with home secretary Julia, but Jed admitted intimacy between the characters was justified because it "complicated the thriller".
He added to The Sun newspaper: "It was part of an editorial process that all of us who were involved in the production discussed.
"And the value of that particular story strand was always that it complicated the thriller.
"That it created division of loyalty and opportunities for either increasing trust or increasing mistrust.
"So from that viewpoint, it felt like it was the right ingredient to add in to the drama."
Ahead of the show's finale, speculation was rife that Keeley's alter-ego - who died halfway through the series - would turn up alive in the conclusion, but it wasn't to be.
Budd's boss Lorraine Craddock (Pippa Haywood) turned out to be corrupt, and terrorist Nadia (Anjli Mohindra) admitted she built the bomb which killed Julia.
Tagged in Keeley Hawes Richard Madden