Luther fans are already giddy with excitement at the prospect of the cop thriller returning, and now their appetites have been whetted further with a new cast announcement.

Of course, Idris Elba is returning in the lead role of John Luther for the gritty drama, but this time he will be joined by some new faces.

Rose Leslie, Laura Haddock and Darren Boyd have been signed up to appear in the upcoming two-part special which will also see Michael Smiley (Benny Silver) and Dermot Crowley (DSU Martin Schenk) return, although we’ll have to wait a little longer to see if Ruth Wilson will be back as Alice Morgan.

According to Digital Spy, the episodes will see Luther “pitted against his most chilling adversary yet, haunted by the ghosts of his past and hell-bent on retribution”.

Laura Haddock
Laura Haddock is joining the Luther cast (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Idris said: “It’s great we’ve been able to do this Luther special. John is so close to my heart, he’s part of me. The fans won’t be disappointed with his return – it’s explosive and definitely goes up a gear.”

The special is currently filming in East London and will air on BBC One in the autumn.