James Nelson-Joyce returns as Michael Kavanagh in the BBC crime drama This City Is Ours for a second season, teasing 'shocking' twists ahead. The series picks up where series one ended, with Michael and Diana Williams (Hannah Onslow) more in love than ever as they arrive at their Spanish oasis.
However, it is not long before they are dragged back into the world of crime to answer questions around Ricardo's (Daniel Cerqueira) death, and there is a new Colombian threat - Felipe (Álvaro Morte).
What to expect in season 2
The Liverpudlian star opened up about what fans can expect, sharing: "At the end of the first series, Michael had decided that he wanted to choose a life with Diana, and they left for Spain. At the beginning of series two, that's where we find them, in Happy Town, and it's picture-perfect. Then something happens that drags Michael back to Liverpool, and once again, he has to choose between Diana and his other life - he's a complex mix of ruthless and vulnerable."
Commenting on his reaction to the scripts this season, he shared: "I was just desperate to read the next one. Each episode was left on a cliffhanger, and we didn't know what was going to happen next. When I read the script for the final episode, I was shocked."
James Nelson-Joyce's famous ex
Nelson-Joyce was in a relationship with Coronation Street actress and jazz singer Olivia Frances Brown, and the pair got engaged back in August 2025. However, they called off the engagement and split up in May 2026 due to busy work schedules.
Brown made her soap debut as Jodie Ramsey during an iconic episode as Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossed over for a one-off special. Prior to her soap role, she had starred in episodes of The Gathering, Archie and Boiling Point.
This summer, he was rumoured to be dating Love Island star Samantha Kenny, but it appears the romance was brief and they are no longer associated.
James Nelson-Joyce's dyslexia battle
Nelson-Joyce has been open about the additional barrier he had to overcome in his early years. He left school without any qualifications, not realising he was dyslexic at the time. It was his English teacher, Miss Griffiths, who encouraged him to study acting at City of Liverpool College.
He told The Guardian in May 2025: "It wasn't until I got to drama school that I got diagnosed. I was performing a speech for a play and the director noticed that I wasn't picking up the punctuation. The school put me forward for assessment, which found that I was severely dyslexic."
He has always been eager not to let it get in the way of his career, adding: "You learn ways around it. I find it easier to read off paper, rather than online. Coloured paper helps. I highlight the text, annotate it and break it down. It might take me a little longer but it's just something I have to crack on with."
On how he first got into acting, he previously told YMLiverpool.com: "I fancied my English teacher and the only way I could get her attention was by putting on an accent when she'd ask someone to read aloud in class. I didn't know at the time that I was dyslexic and I felt uncomfortable reading, but I did it just to show off."
James Nelson-Joyce's friendship with Stephen Graham
Nelson-Joyce has been open about owing his success to actor Stephen Graham, who realised his potential many years ago and has supported him throughout his career. When he was 23 years old, he saw Adolescence actor Graham in Nando's and plucked up the courage to speak to him.
Graham's wife, Hannah, said Nelson-Joyce reminded her of a young Graham and asked him to email them to let them know about any future projects. Nelson-Joyce said he was "too embarrassed" to reach out, but they ended up starring in many shows together, including Little Boy Blue, Time and the Virtues.
Earlier this year, he told the BBC he felt "very lucky" to star with his Scouse idol in the second series of Disney+'s A Thousand Blows, in which he plays Edward 'Treacle' Goodson, the brother of Graham's character, Henry 'Sugar' Goodson.
"There's just this synergy between us and I hope you see that on screen," he said. "We are quite similar and when I auditioned to play his brother, we turned up to do the chemistry read and we were wearing the exact same clothes. It was just very weird because we hadn't planned it."
He called Graham "amazing", adding: "He's a regional voice, he's a Scouse actor and it's very important for young people to see someone likewise on the telly." This City Is Ours season 2 starts on BBC One on Sunday at 9pm.
