The BBC crime drama Granite Harbour is set to return for its third series on July 23, with the team investigating a complex murder that threatens to divide communities. Actor Alastair Mackenzie, who plays Richard Loughty, has praised filming in Scotland but highlighted a challenge: the industry is so busy that it's hard to get productions made due to everyone being booked up.
Filming in Scotland: A Thriving Industry with High Demand
Mackenzie, who also filmed Blood of my Blood nearby, stated: "I love being in Scotland. That's where my heart is. The Scottish film and TV industry is thriving, and I'm proud to have played a small part in that. Scotland is home to not only the most amazing locations but also the most amazing technicians and actors." He added: "It's actually pretty hard to get things made in Scotland at the moment because there's so much going on and everyone is booked up. What a good problem to have. I hope to be working back there just as soon as I can."
Series 3 Plot: A Murder Investigation Unfolds
The new series follows teenage cafe worker Lisa Sterling (Jess Douglas-Welsh), who disappears in the woods surrounding an estate owned by Richard Loughty. Her body is later discovered at the bottom of a ravine after a birthday celebration for Rose Gough (Ellie Haddington), matriarch of the local traveller community. A synopsis reveals: "What initially appears to be a tragic accident is quickly confirmed as murder. DCI MacMillan (Dawn Steele) and her team begin to investigate, but they are under more pressure than ever before." The team faces scrutiny from the Special Police Investigations Service following their previous high-profile case, and a shocking discovery forces them to question everything.
Emotional Depth and Personal Stories
Actress Dawn Steele teased that viewers will see more of the detectives' personal lives. She commented: "Audiences will see a different side of Aberdeen as the story centres on the Traveller community, which is rocked by a shocking murder. It's a real whodunnit, and I hope people have fun trying to work out who's responsible. We also delve much more into the detectives' personal lives this series. It's probably the most emotional series we've made, and you really feel for a lot of the characters."
Granite Harbour series 3 launches on BBC Scotland on Thursday July 23 at 9pm.
